Moonlit Sakura
by Raya Light
Summary: A CCSxSM crossover. Complete. [Rated PG13 to be safe]. In Tomoeda, Sakura has been having strange dreams. At the same time, a new enemy has appeared in Crystal Tokyo. How can the two be related if they are in different universes?
1. Chapter 1 Sweet Sixteen

_Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from "CardCaptor Sakura". They are all owned by the ladies of CLAMP who are much more talented than I. (smile) I also do not own anyone from "Sailor Moon". They are all owned by Takeuchi Naoko whose vision will live eternally. (smile) (Much to Elflina's dismay...) All other characters are my own. Feel free to steal them._

_I do not write for reviews, but I sure enjoy compliments, constructive criticism, and grammatical corrections. So if you feel like it, please press that little review button, and let me know what you think. _

_Chapters 1-6 originally posted on the CardCaptor Sakura section of FF. Deleted and being reposted. Sorry to any who missed Ch 6 before the story was deleted. Guess I waited just a little too long to move it and delete my forward note to you. FF deleted it for me shortly after I uploaded the chapter. If you have any desire to bookmark the story, you may now feel free to do so. (smile) I see no reason it should be deleted again._

_Update 1 – Corrected Fujitaka's dub name in the cheat sheet at the end of this chapter. Thanks to Rasmus for the information._

_- Raya_

**Moonlit Sakura**

Chapter 1 – Sweet Sixteen 

Sakura closed her bedroom door, and leaned against it with a smile and a sigh of pleasure. Her 16th birthday party had been a surprising success. Everyone had managed to avoid fighting, and no magical emergencies had come up out of the blue.

Tomoyo and her mother, Sonomi, had started it all off with an early arrival, and a beautiful dress for the party. Sakura looked down at her dark green dress, and rubbed her hand gently down her side feeling the rich fabric. She had received compliments all evening on how well it looked on her. Tomoyo had been beaming with pride as she videotaped it all.

Sonomi had had to leave for a dinner appointment with an important foreign client, but she had managed to carry on a relatively polite conversation with Sakura's father, Fujitaka, first.

As she was leaving, Sakura's school friends had arrived. Naoko had brought her new boyfriend from the science fiction club, Togashi, while Chiharu had brought her fiancée Yamazaki and Rika had brought their former teacher Mr. Terada. Even after a year, Sakura was still amazed that she had never guessed that Mr. Terada was Rika's boyfriend. Although the couple still kept the relationship very quiet because of Mr. Terada's teaching position, all of her friends had finally guessed that they were engaged.

Sakura's older brother, Touya and his boyfriend Yukito had met Tomoyo's boyfriend, Kurogane, on the front step shortly after that and had let him in. The cake he carried had earned him great cheers, much to his embarrassment. Tomoyo had rescued him by spiriting him away to the kitchen as Yamazaki began to tell some long, complicated tale about the origin of birthday cakes.

Shaoran had supplied the next surprise. About 20 minutes into the party, he arrived with his guest. Sakura's smile grew wider as she remembered their entrance into the living room after her father had let them in. The women had cried out surprised, happy greetings while the men had been stunned speechless. Meiling had grown amazingly beautiful, but her fiery spirit was still quite evident and she had quickly put everyone back at ease with a few well-placed remarks.

After things had finally returned to normal, the doorbell rang again. Sakura and her father had exchanged puzzled looks before he went to answer the door. A moment later, Sakura had gasped with shock as she stared at her unexpected guests. Eriol, Nakuru, and Miss Kaho had smiled mischievously, and then wished her a happy birthday. She had just barely caught a glimpse of Supi flying quickly up the stairs to join Kero in his "prison".

After several hours, her school friends, their boyfriends, and Kurogane left, and Kero and Supi were freed. Touya and Yukito had settled down to a game of chess, with Nakuru providing unwanted advice. Supi had watched Kero with an expression of disdain and disgust as he began stuff himself full of cake. In between bites, Kero alternated poking fun at Supi with giving his own unsolicited advice to the chess players. Kaho, Sakura, Meiling, and Tomoyo had sat and talked about fashion, music and such, while Eriol, Shaoran, and Fujitaka had discussed the latest archaeological finds in China.

Finally, after everyone had left, her father had given her one final birthday present. It was a small package from her grandfather that he claimed had been delivered by special messenger just before the start of the party. Inside the small box had been a beautiful gold, heart-shaped locket on a golden chain. On the front was a filigreed nadeshiko flower, and on the back was an inscription that read "My Precious Little Flower". Her father had said that it once belonged to her mother.

Sakura sighed happily again, and pushed herself away from the door. It had been a wonderful birthday. She still couldn't believe that ALL of her oldest friends had been able to make it to the celebration, and that she had received such wonderful presents.

As her eyes fell on her bed, however, her smile faded. "Not tonight," she whispered. "Please, no dreams tonight. Don't spoil this beautiful, perfect day…"

* * *

Author's Note: Names

Ok, I'm going to say this just once. If you ever get lost or forget, please come back to this page. For those of you who already know the Japanese names for the CardCaptor Sakura and Sailor Moon characters, feel free to skip ahead to the next chapter. For those who only know the English, or are not good at remembering the Japanese, here is your cheat sheet.

I prefer to use the Japanese names. This is not because I'm a snob or a purist. Generally, I think they sound better. Also, most names have a significance (like Mizuno Ami meaning Water's Friend). The original author(ess) used the names to build and define the characters. Therefore, I don't want to change them. But the real reason? I really do just think it sounds better. (smile) Order: Family Name Given Name - _First Name Last Name_

CardCaptor Sakura

Kinomoto Sakura - _Sakura Avalon_

Kinomoto Touya - _Tori Avalon_

Kinomoto Fujitaka - _Mr. Aiden Avalon_

Kinomoto Nadeshiko _- Mrs. Natasha Avalon_

Daidouji Tomoyo _- Madison Taylor_

Daidouji Sonomi - _Mrs. Samantha Taylor_

Tsukishiro Yukito (Yue) _- Julian Star (Yue)_

Cerberus (Keroberos) (Kero) - _Cerberus (Keroberos) (Kero)_

Hiiragizawa Eriol - _Eli Moon_

Amamiya Nakuru/Ruby Moon - _Ruby Moon_

Spinel Sun (Supi) _- Spinner (Supi)_

Mizuki Kaho - _Miss Layla Mackenzie_

Rika - _Rita_

Naoko - _Nikki_

Chiharu _- Chelsea_

Yamazaki Takashi _- Zachary_

Mr. Terada _- Mr. Terada_

Li Xiaolang (Shaoran) - _Li Showron_

Li Meiling - _Meilin Rae_

Sailor Moon

Tsukino Usagi, Neo-Queen Serenity, Serenity _- Serena_

Tsukino (Chiba) Mamoru King Endymion, Endymion _- Darian Shields (_in my universe, he took his wife's last name when they married for various reasons we can discuss off-line)

Tsukino Usagi Small Lady Serenity (ChibiUsa), Super Sailor Moon, Princess Lady, Small Lady, Lady - _Rini_

Mizuno Ami, Super Sailor Mercury _- Amy_

Aino Minako, Super Sailor Venus -_ Mina_

Hino Rei, Super Sailor Mars - _Raye Hino_

Kino Makoto, Super Sailor Jupiter _- Lita_

Tomoe Hotaru, Super Sailor Saturn - _Hotaru Tomoe_

Ten'oh Haruka, Super Sailor Uranus _- Amara_

Kaioh Michiru, Super Sailor Neptune _- Michelle_

Meioh Setsuna, Super Sailor Pluto _- Trista_

And these are my own names for the Quartet:

Sailor Ceres _- Celeste d'Nuit_

Sailor Vesta _- Bessamine (Bessa) Ejjel_

Sailor Juno - _June Night_

Sailor Pallas_ - Pallas Nychta_


	2. Chapter 2 A Frightening Dream

_Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from CardCaptor Sakura. They are all owned by the ladies of CLAMP who are much more talented than I.:) I also do not own anyone from Sailor Moon. They are all owned by Takeuchi Naoko whose vision will live eternally.:) (Much to Elflina's dismay...) All other characters are my own. Feel free to steal them._

_I do not hold stories hostage for reviews, but I sure enjoy compliments, constructive criticism, and grammatical corrections. So if you feel like it, please press that little review button, and let me know what you think. - Raya_

**Moonlit Sakura**

Chapter 2 – A Frightening Dream

Sakura slowly turned around, staring at her unusual surroundings. A long hallway stretched in front of and behind her. The walls, floor, and ceiling appeared to be made of glass or crystal. Oddly, even though the material seemed to be clear it did not show any other rooms or hallways through it. It was as if the hallway were suspended in a pale silvery-pink cloud.

A runner carpet of rich red plush velvet stretched down the middle of the hallway. Several beautiful decorations, including benches, chairs, pictures, and flower arrangements, gave it a warm, hospitable feel. Overall, it reminded her of a castle hallway in some European fairy tale.

Still moving dreamily, Sakura began to walk forward. As she passed a mirror, the image she caught out of the corner of her eye made her stop and turn. Slowly, she cocked her head to the side and brought a hand up to her chest in surprise.

Her hair was up in the old style she had worn when she first became the Mistress of the Cards. Small pale pink ribbons were tied up around her mini-pigtails. A slightly darker ribbon was around her neck holding her Key as it nestled in the hollow of her throat. A flowing, floor-length dress, the same shade as the hair ribbons, flowed around her. Its empire waist had another darker ribbon threaded through it. As she turned to the side, she saw that it made a pretty bow in the back with long trails. The sleeves were short and puffed with an embroidered ribbon pattern. The same ribbon embroidery decorated the bodice. Three bangle bracelets with sun, moon, and star charms graced her right wrist. It was completely different from her usual style, but it was very pretty and matched the ambiance of the hallway.

As she admired herself in the mirror, she became aware of voices. A feminine voice was calling out. Although she could not make out the words, the voice sounded surprised. A male voice answered it. Its cold, superior tone made her shiver and step back. The first voice came back again. This time, it sounded a little uncertain. Other female voices began to call out, sounding angry.

Sakura looked around the hall, trying to find the people and discover what the argument was about. Suddenly, the man laughed evilly. A woman screamed in pain and fear, and then the other women began to shout. Their fear and anger seemed to have multiplied a hundred-fold. The angry buzzing sound made Sakura cover her ears and retreat another few steps.

Suddenly, there was a bright flash of light. As she blinked the spots out of her eyes, she saw the Dark Card floating in front of her. Only, there was something wrong with the card. The wrong-ness scared her. As she reached out hesitantly to take it and look at it closer, she heard another voice scream out an anguished command. This time, the words were quite clear. "GIVE IT BACK!"

Sakura came awake with a start and sat straight up in her bed. She shivered as she panted and stared wide-eyed into the dark of her room. Quickly, she threw off the covers, ran to her desk, and pulled out her Sakura Book. With trembling hands, she opened the book and looked through all of the Cards. They all looked and felt normal, just as they had the past three nights.

With a sigh of relief, she closed the book and put it back in its place on the desk. She frowned as she realized that she had already forgotten which card had been transformed, and why that transformation had scared her.

She looked down into Kero's drawer and debated waking him up. Finally, she shook her head and decided to let him sleep. Tomorrow would be soon enough to worry him.

Sakura turned back towards her bed, and then hesitated a moment. Chewing her lower lip, she turned and pulled the Book out once more. Quickly, she selected a Card, and then closed the Book. She laid the Card on top of the Book then reached out to touch it with one hand. "Shield," she said quietly and firmly. Instantly, a soft light visible only to those blessed or cursed with magic surrounded the Card and the Book. With another sigh of relief and a small smile of satisfaction, Sakura returned to bed.

A/N - _Chronologically, my story _Cherry Snow_ comes between this chapter and the next. It is not important to the sequence of this story. The only important point you need to know is that in that story Sakura tells Kero that she is having troublesome dreams about the Cards. If you have not read it, why not check it out? If you have, why not read it again? (smile) I think it's a cute crossover. Enjoy! - Raya_


	3. Chapter 3 Rainy Moon

_Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from CardCaptor Sakura. They are all owned by the ladies of CLAMP who are much more talented than I. - I also do not own anyone from Sailor Moon. They are all owned by Takeuchi Naoko whose vision will live eternally. - (Much to Elflina's dismay...) All other characters are my own. Feel free to steal them._

_I do not hold chapters ransom for reviews, but I sure enjoy compliments, constructive criticism, and grammatical corrections. So if you feel like it, please press that little review button, and let me know what you think. _

_A new review! Hello, Mystlady. I'm glad you are enjoying this story, too. I appreciate the comment about not being overly descriptive. I just finished writing another one-shot last night (a Silver Millennium story that has to go through my beta reader, Ree, before I post it), and I was wondering whether or not I was being descriptive enough. I like to leave some things to the imagination, but I also want them to be the right things. Please let me know if you think I'm not being descriptive enough! I kinda blow that a little in this chapter, though, don't I? Hahaha… Oh, and thank you for the comment on the flow, too. I work very hard at that! I'm always asking Ree and Elflina (my other sometimes beta reader) to check it for me when they are proofing.- Raya_

Chapter 3 – Rainy Moon

Tsukino Usagi Lady Serenity, Princess and Heir to the Moon and the Neo-Silver Millennium, Royal Princess of Earth, Crystal Tokyo, and the Neo-Golden Kingdom of Elysian, and, under the title of Sailor Moon, the Champion of Love and Justice, Defender of the Earth stared at her lifelong nemesis with all the indignation her 17-year-old body could hold. Her mother matched her glare for glare as Sailor Pallas, Sailor Juno, Sailor Ceres, and Sailor Vesta watched the battle uncomfortably.

"Why can't I go!" she wailed angrily, hands fisted at her sides.

"I've TOLD you why," Neo-Queen Serenity replied tightly trying desperately to hold on to her temper. "You heard the reports…"

"They're just rumors! Mars and Venus are being paranoid after that incident a few years ago with Empress Night and you know it," Princess Lady said, interrupting her mother impatiently. "You just don't trust me!"

"That's not true…"

"Yes it is! You never let me go ANYWHERE!" Neo-Queen Serenity's eyes widened indignantly at this exaggeration. "I may look 17, but I am 910 years old. When are you going to let me do what _I_ want to do?"

"Small Lady…"

"I'm not small anymore! I've grown up. When are you going to accept that?"

"When you act it!" the queen snapped angrily. She felt an instant of regret, but it was drowned by the anger she felt towards her stubborn, frustrating daughter. The four watchers gasped in disbelief.

Princess Lady stared at her, pale with shock. For a long moment, silence filled the conference room. Then, trembling with fury, the princess took turned and walked out. Silently, the queen watched her go.

"That…" Sailor Ceres started, and then stopped as Neo-Queen Serenity turned to look at her with burning, angry eyes. Trembling, the girl just shook her head and left the room to find her friend. Sailor Pallas, Sailor Juno, and Sailor Vesta followed her, giving the queen shocked, disbelieving looks.

The queen continued to stand and stare at the door for another minute. Slowly, the anger melted away, and her eyes filled up with tears. "Small Lady… I'm so sorry…" she whispered as she sank to the floor. Putting her face in her hands, she began to cry quietly in the empty room.

* * *

The four young senshi powered down as they began to look for their friend. As usual, Celeste was wearing a dress. Today, it was a casual golden sweater dress with a rolled neckline and a filigree chain belt around the waist. Bessa wore black jeans and a red turtleneck under a black sweatshirt. June also wore jeans, although hers were light tan. Her cream sweater had a green grapevine pattern winding around it. Pallas wore her beloved dark blue capris with a pale blue sweater. The sweater fell off of one shoulder, revealing the strap of a dark blue tank top, the same color as her pants.

After 10 minutes of searching, they had finally found her coming out of her room. She had changed out of her formal princess attire and into a dark, knee length denim dress with a white turtleneck covered in small pink hearts. They saw the tears on her face as she looked at them then turned and walked off down the hall.

"Lady-chan…" Celeste said quietly, eyes filled with sympathy.

"I don't want to talk about it," Lady replied wiping tears of fury and hurt off her face. She continued to walk down the hall, heading towards the gardens. Her friends had to hurry to keep up. "Look, just leave me alone, ok? I just… I just want to be alone right now," she pleaded.

Slowly, Celeste, June, Pallas, and Bessa came to a halt. They watched as Lady sped down the hall, wiping her face occasionally.

"How could Neo-Queen Serenity-sama say something like that?" Bessa asked angrily, pounding her fist on her jean-clad leg. "Lady-chan never had much of a chance to be a child because of her position, and now she accuses her of being immature? Lady-chan is the most mature of all of us!"

"She didn't mean it," Pallas replied softly, staring down the hall with troubled eyes. "She knows Lady-chan better than that. She just…"

"Well, she still shouldn't have said it!" June replied angrily, and Bessa nodded her agreement. "Lady-chan tries so hard, and _she_ just doesn't seem to get it." She made an impatient, angry sound. "I can't just stand here. I'm so mad… I think I'm going to go work out. Maybe punching the body bag will make me feel better."

"I'll join you," Bessa said. "Maybe a few Karate kata exercises will calm me down."

"I'll be in the aviary," Celeste said shifting uncomfortably as her mind went back and forth defending first Lady and then her mother. "Birdsong works better for me than kata."

"Hmm… That sounds good," Pallas said, blinking with pleasure. "I still want to do that portrait of you by the fountain. I'll just go grab my paints."

* * *

In a dark hall of an abandoned South American temple, a man with spiked orange hair smiled in evil triumph. The tarnished pattern on his plain suit-like uniform glittered dully in the faint light of the moon as he lifted a small scroll out of its hiding place in the wall.

"At last," he whispered gleefully. "At last I can get rid of you and return this world to Darkness."


	4. Chapter 4 Mothers and Daughters

_Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from CardCaptor Sakura. They are all owned by the ladies of CLAMP who are much more talented than I. - I also do not own anyone from Sailor Moon. They are all owned by Takeuchi Naoko whose vision will live eternally. - (Much to Elflina's dismay...) All other characters are my own. Feel free to steal them._

_I do not hold chapters ransom for reviews, but I sure enjoy compliments, constructive criticism, and grammatical corrections. So if you feel like it, please press that little review button, and let me know what you think. __- Raya_

**Moonlit Sakura**

Chapter 4 – Mothers and Daughters

Neo-Queen Serenity stared out of the window into the dark Egyptian night. Her eyes were sad as she chewed on her lower lip. She started as an arm went around her bare shoulders, and she turned quickly to look up at her husband.

"Still worried about your fight with Small Lady?" King Endymion asked with quiet understanding.

She nodded jerkily. "I never should have said that. We've always tried to treat her like an adult because we knew she would have to go through so much on her own. And she's always handled it so well until recently." She sighed and leaned into his warm chest. "I know it's just hormones and general teenager melodrama, but she just makes me so mad when she's like that. Even worse than she did when we were children," she said with a shaky laugh. "I just… I just said what came to mind."

She pulled back and looked up at him with irritated eyes. "She heard the reports. She was right there! She knows that we can't endanger the whole royal family at once, and that you and I _have_ to take this three week long tour. Why was she making such a big deal out of it!" Her cerulean blue eyes saddened again as she sighed. "But I still shouldn't have said that. I wish… I wish she would let me apologize."

King Endymion pulled her into a quick hug. "It's all right. Neither of you can hold a grudge, and you can't stand being mad at each other. She's probably thinking the same thing right now. You'll see. When we get home, you'll apologize, and she'll acknowledge that you were right to make her stay," he said reassuringly. "And then you'll find something else to argue about," he added with a teasing sigh, trying to make her smile.

She looked up at him, eyes flashing in indignation, and then began to chuckle softly. "You're probably right. Oh, I can't wait until this is over and my sweet, slightly irritating ChibiUsa comes back and defeats this highly irritating pink-haired demon that's pretending to be her."

She gave him a puzzled look as he stiffened and suddenly looked concerned. Then, she laughed gently. "No, that's not what I meant. She really is our daughter, and she isn't being taken over by demons or evil. Her hormones are just making her _act_ like it. That's what I meant." She laughed again as she felt him relax.

"Well, you never know," he said a little irritably as she continued to laugh at him.

"But I would," she said, still laughing. "And so would you. We are both sensitive enough to evil now to know whether or not it was taking over our friends or daughter." She sighed and looked out into the night again. "Especially now that we're on our guard and looking for it."

He began to hug her again, but jerked back a little as the door to the main reception chamber opened. A small man dressed in the flowing traditional robes of his country bowed before them and announced that Prince Aziz was ready to receive them. With a nod of acknowledgment, he turned back to his wife. She gave him a reassuring smile, and then began to walk to the door.

"Announcing His Royal Majesty, Mamoru Endymion Tsukino. King of the Earth, Crystal Tokyo, and the Neo-Golden Kingdom of Elysian, Knight Defender of the Earth. Consort to her Imperial Majesty, Neo-Queen Serenity," the herald called out as the royal couple stepped into the reception chamber.

"And, her Imperial Majesty, Usagi Serenity Tsukino. High Queen of the Neo-Silver Millennium, Queen of the Moon and Crystal Tokyo. Queen Consort of Earth, and Savior of the World after the Great Cataclysm." King Endymion felt his wife wince at the last title. Despite all of her protests over the past several hundred years, it was added whenever she was formally announced into a gathering.

"Welcome to Egypt," Prince Aziz said with a low bow. He stood in front of his throne dressed in white flowing robes that showed off his dark hair and bronzed skin. He was still lean despite his advancing age and "sedentary" job. His brown eyes studied them intently a moment, and then twinkled mischievously.

"Ah, my queen, still as beautiful as ever. Please, my sweet jasmine, tell me you have come to leave this ignorant savage and become my wife."

Neo-Queen Serenity smiled at her husband's long-time friend, and pretended to consider his proposal. "I'm sorry," she sighed sweetly. "But, I cannot leave him alone with our daughter. It would just not be fair."

"Oh, but that's no problem, my delicate flower. Why, your daughter may come as well. We will marry her to my son, Prince Mushaf." He turned and gestured grandly for his twenty-one year old heir to come forward. "See? Isn't he handsome? He has his mother's eyes. He is also very well-trained in politics, defense, and other princely arts," he added with a sly wink.

The queen laughed, and shook her head as the king studied the embarrassed youth. "Oh, that would not be fair either. She will wish to stay with her beloved father, and would be quite sad if she had to come live here. Even with such a handsome prince waiting for her. Ah no, Prince Aziz, it just cannot be."

Prince Aziz pretended to be disappointed, andthen smiled at his guests. "And how is your lovely little daughter doing? Has she grown at all since I last saw her?"

* * *

Lady shivered in the cool night air, and leaned her head tiredly against the arm of a statue. She looked up at the crescent moon, and sighed sadly. Even after three days, her mother's words still hurt. She knew that her mother hadn't meant them, but deep inside, a little voice questioned if they really had been true. 

'_Look how I acted,_' she thought guiltily. '_I still don't believe there is any danger, but I didn't try to make my argument rationally. I just started blathering about how I never get to go anywhere and how she never trusts me. Hah! Yeah, right. And just where did you spend most of your childhood, _ChibiUsa_? And did she _ever _protest about your being a senshi and all of your training? Or question your judgment as Sailor Moon? And what about all those trips into town, back to the 20th Century, out to the mountains… Heck, she even let you go visit June's family in America! And you whine because you can't go on a little political jaunt with them?_'

"ChibiUsa-chan?" Lady started as a soft voice called out her name. "ChibiUsa-chan, is everything all right?" Hotaru asked as she stepped out of the shadows.

Lady gave her best friend a big smile as she stood up straight. "Of course. I just decided to take a walk before going to bed."

Hotaru studied her friend a moment. "It's almost three in the morning. Try again."

Lady blinked at Hotaru in surprise. "It is? I didn't know it was that late. Oh… I'm gonna feel it in a few hours. I have to get up early for a training exercise today. I'd better get to bed."

Hotaru put a hand on Lady's arm as she tried to pass. "ChibiUsa-chan… Are you still upset over that fight with your mother? You know she didn't mean what she said…"

"Yes, I know," Lady replied softly. "It's just…" Hotaru waited quietly for her to finish. "It's just… They are going to look for the new Tuxedo Mask, Papa's heir. I should be with them! He's _my_ destined prince, after all. But because of those stupid rumors Mars and Venus found about someone wanting to destroy the Crystal Tokyo and its rulers, they made me stay here. They wouldn't listen to me when I said I should go and they should stay, or that the rumors were just too unsupported to be real." She sighed sadly. "They never seem to listen to me anymore. And I just get so mad, I don't say what I mean to say, and that makes it worse."

"They don't listen? Or they believe differently, and you can't convince them otherwise?" Hotaru asked quietly. "They have a duty, too, you know. A duty to protect this world, and to train you and the Prince of the Earth, whoever he is, to take over after them."

She ignored Lady's irritated gaze and continued. "I know you know that. But are you thinking about it? They have a lot more experience in telling false rumors from true. And they are more sensitive to evil than you are. Call it age, or experience, or whatever, it is true. They are much better suited for this trip, together, than you are alone or with one of them. That is why they wanted you to stay home. But there was another reason. Can you think of it?"

Lady glared at her a moment, then shut her eyes and tried to think past the betrayal she felt. She never would have thought that Hotaru would have taken her mother's side in this.

After few moments, she opened her eyes again. "Because they think they can sense Tuxedo Mask better than I can, especially if he's still not awake," she said a little bitterly. "They're wrong, but that must be it."

Hotaru looked at her in surprise. "Actually, I didn't think of that one. I doubt they did either, although Mamoru-san might be more sensitive to him than you. No, the other reason I can think of is… Sailor Moon." Lady blinked in surprise. "Sailor Moon has to be free to act, to save the world if necessary. And if Crystal Tokyo is the target, then that is where you need to be. You can't defend it if you are half a world away, especially if you are still hiding your identity."

"Think about it, okay?" she asked as she released the princess. "Tomorrow, that is. For now, you'd better get to sleep."

Lady nodded absently then started to walk back towards the palace. After a few steps, she stopped and turned around. "Hotaru-chan?"

"Yes?"

"Why are you out here? If it's three in the morning, shouldn't you be asleep, too?"

Hotaru smiled. "Well, I had a feeling you couldn't sleep."

"And?" Lady asked, sensing there was something more.

"And?" Hotaru's smile faded. "And, I trust your parents' judgment. If they believe the rumors enough to fight with you over such an important trip and leave Sailor Moon here… Then it's time to step up security a little. Haruka-papa is up in the spire. Michiru-mama is watching the front, while I watch the back. We are leaving day security to the rest of you." She smiled again at the surprised look on Lady's face, and then bowed. "Sleep well, Princess…"


	5. Chapter 5 Friendly Advice

_Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from CardCaptor Sakura. They are all owned by the ladies of CLAMP who are much more talented than I.:) I also do not own anyone from Sailor Moon. They are all owned by Takeuchi Naoko whose vision will live eternally.:) (Much to Elflina's dismay...) All other characters are my own. Feel free to steal them._

_I do not hold chapters ransom for reviews, but I sure enjoy compliments, constructive criticism, and grammatical corrections. So if you feel like it, please press that little review button, and let me know what you think. _

_Hurray! Moonlit Sakura's first review from when it was posted in the CCS section! "Here you go, aserene. I hope you like this chapter as much as the previous ones. :) Thanks for your review!" Too bad the reviews were deleted with the story. Not that it said much more than 'more, more!' or words to that effect, but it would have been nice to have kept it and the next one aserene sent..._

_The action will kick up a notch in the next chapter, which will be much longer, I promise. - Raya_

**Moonlit Sakura**

Chapter 5 – Friendly Advice

"Now, once you have your balanced equation, you can use stoichiometry to determine the weight of your starting reagents," Mrs. Daiba explained to the roomful of quiet students. Sakura felt her head jerk, and she blinked rapidly at her warm, sunlit desk. As she rubbed a tired eye, she wished that someone would open a window and allow some cool air into the room so she could wake up. Fortunately, the school day was almost over.

Togashi looked at her a moment in concern then discretely reached out to crack the window beside him open. The student behind him did the same, as did the student behind her. As Mrs. Daiba turned to face the class, she took note of the open windows and the sleepy faces and decided she had lectured enough.

"Kinomoto-san, Honda-san, Yamada-san," she called out to the three sleepiest. She tried not to smile as they jerked in guilty surprise. "Please come to the board and solve the following question. How many grams of water and sulfur do we need to create 10 milliliters of sulfuric acid?"

Twenty minutes later, Sakura sighed in relief as she put on her outdoor shoes to walk home. She leaned her head tiredly against her locker for a moment, and then pushed herself up with a determined look. She smiled as she saw Tomoyo walking towards her with a concerned expression on her face.

"Sakura-chan, are you all right? You look so tired…" her life-long friend asked worriedly.

"I'm all right. I just haven't been sleeping too well." Sakura replied with as much reassurance as she could muster. They began to walk towards the exit.

"Those dreams again? Are they getting worse?"

"Mmm… No, not worse. They're just starting to come more often. Sometimes I have three in a night." She grimaced and rubbed her eyes again. "Last night was one of those nights. And it's so hard to go back to sleep after I've woken up from one."

Tomoyo looked at her sympathetically and tried to think of something to help. "Have… Have you tried a sleeping pill?" she asked tentatively. Sakura shook her head as they stepped out into the bright sunshine.

"No, no drugs. If something happens, I want to be able to respond," she said with a determined look. Then she smiled at Tomoyo. "But thanks for the idea. I know you don't like drugs, particularly sleeping pills."

Tomoyo smiled back at her. "No," she said seriously. "I don't. There are too many people who become addicted to them." She paused a moment, sadly, and then continued with a brighter smile. "But I don't think you would. You're too determined to enjoy life."

Sakura blinked at her in surprise, then grinned, skipped across the front lawn, and turned to wait for her slower friend by the front gate. "You're right," she said when Tomoyo caught up with her. "There's too much to see and do. If you're all drugged out, how can you enjoy it?"

Tomoyo laughed, then blinked as another thought occurred to her. "Ne, Sakura-chan… Have you tried any other remedies?"

"Hu-e? Like what?"

"Oh, like aromatherapy, or a massage or something to help you relax. Sometimes, it can work as well as drugs without slowing you down if you need to respond in an emergency."

"Hmm… Well, I tried a hot bath. It helped, but not a whole lot. And I can't keep taking baths all night."

Tomoyo smiled wider at the thought. "No, I guess not, but you can light a small candle. The fragrance could help soothe you back to sleep. And the light might be reassuring, too."

"Hu-e? Kind of like a night-light, huh." She thought about it a moment, then shrugged. "It might work. Where can I find some of these candles?"

* * *

Super Sailor Mars shifted uneasily by a brightly-lit fountain in the Egyptian royal garden. She peered out into the night with a frown, and then began to walk out into the shadows on the grounds. Something was coming. Something big. Something she wasn't going to like. 

Hidden deep in the shadows by the palace wall, the man with the spiked orange hair sneered at Super Sailor Mars as she walked past his hiding place. '_Stupid chit_,' he thought contemptuously at her. '_Think you can find me?_' His hand tightened on the wand he had created, but he forced himself to relax.

'_Not yet. Soon, your time will come. But first, I have to eliminate the biggest threat._' He turned his eyes up to the second floor window, and smiled evilly.

* * *

Sakura put a small bowl of water on her desk, and lit one of the little floating candles she had bought. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath of rose, lavender, and jasmine. With a smile, she savored the fragrance. 

"Hey, what's that?" Kero asked curiously as he flew up to hover by her shoulder. She looked at him with a smile as she answered. "Tomoyo-chan suggested it. It's an aromatherapy candle. It's supposed to help me to relax so I can sleep."

Kero considered the candle intently then looked at Sakura skeptically. "You sure 'bout this? Scent magic c'n be tricky."

"Hu-e?" Sakura said in surprise. "Scent magic?"

Kero sighed and shook his head in disbelief. "Didn' Yue or the Kid go over that yet in your formal magic lessons? You c'n use scent to enhance or direct your attention, and thus your magic. That's why some magicians use scented oils in their rituals."

Sakura looked a little relieved. "Oh, I'm not doing that. I'm just using it to help me relax enough to sleep." Kero continued to look at her with a faint worried expression as she turned around to get into her bed. He debated with himself a moment, but the circles under her eyes made him decide not to push the issue. "Good night, Kero-chan," she called out as she turned off the light.

He settled onto the desk beside the candle with a soft sigh. "G'night, Sakura."

He looked back at the innocent looking star floating in the bowl of water. '_Rose, lavender, and jasmine. All strong scents and all associated with the night and dreams. I hope this doesn't backfire on you…_'

* * *

_(A/N: I was making up that stuff about roses, lavender, and jasmine being associated with night/moon and dreams. Actually, only jasmine is. According to my sources, roses belong to Venus, of course, while lavender is associated with Mercury. But all three of them are associated with love and peace, so they are very appropriate for the Queen of the Moon and what comes next. (smile))_


	6. Chapter 6 Lunar Eclipse

_Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from CardCaptor Sakura. They are all owned by the ladies of CLAMP who are much more talented than I.(smile) I also do not own anyone from Sailor Moon. They are all owned by Takeuchi Naoko whose vision will live eternally.(smile) (Much to Elflina's dismay...) All other characters are my own. Feel free to steal them._

_I do not hold chapters ransom for reviews, but I sure enjoy compliments, constructive criticism, and grammatical corrections. So if you feel like it, please press that little review button, and let me know what you think. - Raya_

**Moonlit Sakura  
**Chapter 6 – Lunar Eclipse

Wearing a flowing, knee-length, pink casual dress, the queen of Crystal Tokyo walked through Prince Aziz's art gallery and tried to shake off the sense of impending danger. "Come on, Serenity," she said softly to herself as she stopped in front of a picture of the great pyramids at Giza. "You're just psyching yourself out. That tour of the museum spooked you." She shivered as she remembered the idols, mummies, and other burial items they had seen. The aura of death, sadness, and hope which some of the items had exuded had almost overwhelmed her.

For a moment, she wished Endymion were there to reassure her. Then, she shook her head impatiently at herself. If anyone deserved a night out on the town with the guys, he certainly did. It sometimes surprised her that he didn't do it more often since he had to spend so much time surrounded by women.

She turned away from the reminder of the museum, and continued to walk down the hall. As she turned the corner, she gasped in surprise then smiled. She quickly entered the new hall and looked closely at the paintings that decorated the walls. Her smile grew wider as she found Michiru's stamp on each of them. Thoughts of danger, death, and museums were forgotten as she lost herself in a world of oceans, waves, dolphins, whales, and other sea creatures.

And thus, she was off her guard when someone else joined her in the hallway.

* * *

Endymion studied the two opponents critically as the crowd around him yelled and shouted. The taller man, dressed in gold trunks, seemed to be the most popular. He grinned as he casually tossed his long, wavy auburn hair over his shoulder and raised a gloved hand. The crowd cheered more loudly at this acknowledgement of their support. His smaller, slighter opponent just smiled wryly and shook out the muscles in his arms and shoulders.

"Get him, Red Battler!" Prince Mushaf yelled beside him. When he caught Endymion looking at him with a raised eyebrow, he flushed a little, and then grinned. "Red Battler is the best boxer in the world," he informed his visitor. "He's won his last four bouts by a wide margin, and he KO'd Hercules in January."

Endymion looked suitably impressed. "The reigning middle weight champion?" he asked as he turned to look at the two opponents again.

The prince nodded, and let out another cheer as Red Battler's coach gathered his long hair into a ponytail for him. "Yeah, middle weight champion and an Olympic silver medalist. Red Battler had him down in four."

"Really," the king said as he focused his attention on the smaller one who was dressed in black trunks with a silver stripe. The man's dark hair was short and neat, and his bright brown eyes betrayed the excitement his controlled movements didn't show. "And his opponent?"

"Quicksilver?" Prince Mushaf shrugged. "He's a newcomer. He's done pretty well, winning more than he loses, but he's no match for Red Battler."

Prince Aziz fought back a chuckle as Endymion turned to his son once more. The challenging look on his friend's face brought back some good memories, and he felt a moment of pity for his heir. '_Hopefully, he'll keep the bet reasonable,'_ he thought to himself. '_I'd hate to loose half my kingdom, even if it _would be _to the king of the world_.'

"Care to bet on that?" Endymion asked the young man with a smile. Prince Mushaf looked at him in surprise, and then smiled suavely.

"It would be bad taste to take money from a guest," he replied smoothly.

"Oh, I'm sure your father would forgive you," Endymion challenged. "Say, ten thousand yen that Quicksilver wins by five or more in eight."

Prince Mushaf choked. "No way. Red Battler will have him on the ropes in five at the most."

"Oh?" the king asked. "Aziz?"

"I'm out of this," the ruler of the Middle East replied with a chuckle as he shook his head. "Mushaf may accept your bet if he wishes."

"I'll take him on it, if Mushaf won't," one of the prince's friends called. By the time the fight was announced, Endymion had five takers for his bet. He settled into his seat confidently as the bell rang and the fight began. By the end of the first round, though, he was caught up in the spirit of the crowd and had risen to cheer his man on.

* * *

Super Sailor Mars felt her shoulders tighten as the sense of danger tripled in strength. Quickly, she keyed her communicator. "Venus, Mercury, Jupiter. Something is about to happen. Find Serenity! Mercury, scan the grounds. There's something here, but I can't find it," she finished angrily.

"Right." The chorus of voices from her communicator didn't ask any further questions. She spun around and headed back towards the palace as fast as she could run.

* * *

Sakura stared dreamily at the long crystal hallway that had been haunting her dreams. Something was different. It seemed a little more real. More solid, if that was possible for the fragile, transparent crystal. She looked down at herself, and saw that she was in the same, pale pink dress as always.

She looked up and down the hall indecisively. It didn't matter which way she went the end result was always the same. Finally, she decided to go to the right towards the mirror.

* * *

Serenity was staring wide-eyed at a picture of a gigantic tsunami approaching Tokyo when she felt someone touch her on the shoulder. With a screech of surprise, she jumped and spun around. With a hand over her racing heart, she stared at the man who had startled her.

He gave her a cold smile. "I'm so sorry," he said in a tone reeking with fake regret. "Did I startle you?"

"I… It's all right," she replied, edging further away from him. Her heart was racing, and her sense of danger had finally kicked back in.

He smiled again triumphantly as he saw her back away nervously. Seeing that, she stopped, dropped her hand back to her side, and raised her head proudly. "Who are you?" she asked quietly, trying to buy some time.

"Me? I am just a servant," he said softly. His cold voice and icy black eyes continued to send shivers up her spine.

"Do you have a name?" she asked, trying to sound normal. "I don't remember seeing you around here before. Which department are you in?"

He chuckled as he pulled out his wand. "Yes, I have a name. It is King Necro. I serve in the Court of Darkness. A… jack of all trades, if you will. And today, I am serving in the department of waste disposal."

The white-haired queen blinked at his last strange comment. "Waste disposal?" she repeated in surprise.

"Yes. Elimination of the trash blocking our path," he replied coldly as he raised his wand. To her surprise, the queen found that she could not move. Her eyes widened with panic as he began to chant and wave the wand. A sickly looking orange light followed the tip as he traced runes in the air in front of her.

"Serenity-san!" Super Sailor Venus yelled as she turned the far corner and saw the couple. "Serenity!" Super Sailor Mars called from a window on the other side of the hall. "Serenity-san, get out of the way!" Super Sailor Jupiter called as she and Super Sailor Mercury paused at the corner the queen had recently turned.

Serenity struggled, but she couldn't move. "I can't!" she cried out anxiously.

* * *

Bessa stirred restlessly in her sleep. In her dream, she watched as a man with a slimy, evil looking aura approached her queen. She tried to move, to cry out, but she seemed to be rooted in place. She broke into a sweat as she fought against the paralysis, afraid of what was going to happen.

Pallas looked down into the garden and chewed on her lower lip. She watched as Lady and Hotaru spoke, and the unease that had woken her up and driven her into walking the hallways grew. Something was going to happen. Something bad. Something…

She stiffened in surprise as a vision flashed in front of her. Pale and trembling, she keyed her communicator on all-call. "The Queen is under attack! The Queen is under attack!"

Bessa jerked awake and sat up as Pallas's voice came over the communicator on her nightstand. She looked around her room and gave a groggy sigh of relief as she realized it was just a bad dream.

Down in the garden, Lady and Hotaru heard Pallas's frightened voice call the alarm across Hotaru's communicator. Lady turned back to Hotaru, and they stared at each other with wide eyes. Suddenly, Lady snapped into action.

She reached out and grabbed Hotaru's arm, and keyed the communicator. "Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, Saturn. You stay here and guard the city. Pallas, Vesta, Juno, Ceres, meet me in the main hall!"

"ChibiUsa-chan…" Hotaru started to protest then stopped at the look in her princess' eyes.

"It is my duty to protect her," Lady said with quiet determination. "And it is their job to protect me. I need you guys to stay here in case it's a trap."

Slowly, Hotaru nodded her acceptance. "Be careful," she said softly as Lady turned to race indoors.

Bessa jerked again as Lady's voice came over the communicator. She paled as she realized it had not been a dream but a vision. Quickly, she threw off her blankets and stumbled out of bed, reaching for her transformation pen.

* * *

At the end of eight rounds, Endymion silently accepted the money from his stunned companions while Prince Aziz politely looked the other way. Suddenly, Endymion stiffened and stood up. Aziz looked up at him in surprise. The look on his friend's face brought him immediately to his feet. Quickly, the two men exited the club while the remainder of their group looked after them in confusion.

* * *

King Necro laughed as Serenity continued to struggle against his spell. He laughed louder, when he heard Super Sailor Mars call out her attack. "Mars Flame Sniper!" Her flaming arrow flowed around his shield and burned itself out. The attacks of the other senshi met a similar fate.

* * *

Sakura heard the voices. The woman calling in surprise. The man answering her. Other women shouting in anger. The man laughing. The first woman screaming in pain and fear. The other women getting louder and angrier. They sounded louder. Closer. She could almost understand what they were saying this time. She covered her ears, and stepped back, dreading what was coming next.

* * *

King Necro finished his spell of banishment, and Serenity felt her body begin to rip apart. She screamed in pain and fear.

With a flash of light, Super Sailor Moon and her team appeared in the hall. The pink-haired champion of love and justice watched in horror as her mother began to disappear in front of her eyes.

King Endymion also teleported into the hall. "Serenity!" he yelled, and rushed towards his wife. He cursed in frustration and pain as he bounced off of King Necro's shield. He threw himself at it again, and tried to beat his way through to his wife, screaming her name.

The remainder of the senshi threw attack after attack at King Necro, trying every combination they could think of to break through the shield.

Super Sailor Moon watched in shocked horror as Serenity finally faded from sight, leaving only one last pain-filled scream echoing through the hallway. She stared at the spot in disbelief for another moment, and then turned her tearful face towards her enemy. "GIVE HER BACK!" she screamed. She pulled out her Moon Rod and spun it through its power-up pattern. "Moon Spiral Heart ATTACK!"

King Necro's eyes widened in disbelief as he felt his shield go down. He teleported out of the hall just in the nick of time.

* * *

As Sakura had been expecting, there was a bright flash of light. As she blinked the spots out of her eyes, she saw the Dark Card floating in front of her. Only, there was something wrong with the card. As always, the wrongness scared her. As she reached out hesitantly to take it and look at it closer, she heard the voice scream out the anguished command. "GIVE IT BACK!"

Sakura looked at the Dark Card, and trembled with shock and disbelief. The picture had changed. Instead of Dark, Light graced the front of the card, surrounded by Dark's symbols. And Light was crying.

She woke with a start, and lay trembling in her bed. It had happened. She was sure of it. This time, the Card really had changed.

Slowly, she forced herself out of bed and went over to her desk. She looked down at Kero who was sleeping quietly for a change beside the bowl of water. The star candle sputtered and went out as she looked at it. It had finished burning itself out.

Slowly, she reached out and opened the Sakura Book. With a trembling hand, she pulled out the Cards and leafed through them. She paled in shock and disbelief as she realized that the Light Card was missing completely. And when she reached the Dark Card, she dropped the rest of them onto the desk.

The scattering Cards woke Kero from his sleep. Crying out in pain and protest, he scolded Windy and Earthy who had hit him on the head. Then, he woke up enough to be surprised. Slowly, he turned to look at Sakura, who was trembling in fear and disbelief.

"Sakura! What is it? What happened?" He flew up to her shoulder, and then looked down at the card in her hand. His eyes widened in disbelief as he saw Light on the front of the Dark Card, and felt the significant increase in the Card's power level. "They've merged?" he asked in fear and awe.

* * *

_(A/N: The word that Super Sailor Moon screams and that Sakura hears is "Kaeshite!" which means "give back" or "return". Sakura, not knowing what Lady is referring to, interprets it as "Give IT back", when she is actually saying, "Give HER back". Isn't Japanese wonderful? (smile))_


	7. Chapter 7 Aftermath

_Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from "CardCaptor Sakura". They are all owned by the ladies of CLAMP who are much more talented than I. (smile) I also do not own anyone from "Sailor Moon". They are all owned by Takeuchi Naoko whose vision will live eternally. (smile) (Much to Elflina's dismay...) All other characters are my own. Feel free to steal them._

_I do not hold chapters ransom for reviews, but I sure enjoy compliments, constructive criticism, and grammatical corrections. So if you feel like it, please press that little review button, and let me know what you think. _

_The final (deleted) review from asrene… Hahaha, think you have it figured out? But, if Sakura saves the Neo-Queen now, how on earth would I stretch the story out 36 more chapters? (sigh) I apologize if it is slow, but everyone demands their time. Hopefully, some of you will have the patience to stick with me. (smile) - Raya_

**Moonlit Sakura**

Chapter 7 – Aftermath

The next day, Sakura, Kero, Yue, and Shaoran sat around the Kinomoto's dining room table and stared at the modified Card. Light/Dark lay on the table completely unresponsive to Sakura's and Kero's prompting. Light's eyes were closed as if she were sleeping. She seemed unchanged overnight, although she was slightly different than she had been in Sakura's dream. She did not appear to be crying.

Shaoran looked over at the Guardian of the Moon, puzzled by his silence. He blinked in surprise as he saw how stiffly Yue was sitting. It almost appeared as if he were fighting himself. As Shaoran looked into Yue's eyes, he saw the fear the white-haired guardian was trying not to show.

"Yue?" he asked quietly, startling Sakura and Kero. They looked quickly at Yue, and noticed the expression in his eyes.

"It calls to me..." Yue said softly. "Such strong power..."

"Eh?" Kero asked confused. "How can it call to you? That's Light on the front. She falls under the Sun, not the Moon. If anything, you should be feeling a little weaker."

Yue shook his head. "No, that power is all Moon."

"But..." Kero said unconvinced. He looked back at the Card, and tried once again to get Light to speak to him.

* * *

Serenity made a soft sound as she slowly woke. She blinked her bright blue eyes in confusion as she looked around at the pink, misty area that surrounded her. "Where... Where am I? What happened?"

She gasped as she saw another woman laying a short distance away. Quickly, she rose and moved to the other woman's side. Her eyes widened in appreciation as she noted the woman's ethereal beauty. "So beautiful..." she whispered. Her finely boned face was surrounded by a cloud of straight black hair. The rich velvet gown that she wore was the same color as her hair, and emphasized her slim, almost fragile, figure. She wore a crown, marking her as some sort of royalty.

Tentatively, Serenity reached out to shake the woman. "Hello? Are you ok? Please wake up." When the woman didn't respond, she began to look around for help. She gasped again as she saw another figure laying some distance away. Quickly, she rose and rushed over to see what it was.

She found another woman. Her features were exactly the same as the woman in black's, but her hair was a warm, wavy gold. Like her twin, her velvet gown was the same shade as her hair, and she wore a crown though it was a different style. Also like her twin, she did not wake when Serenity shook her.

Serenity looked around the pink, misty area once again, and opened her mouth to call for help. She froze, however, when she heard voices. They seemed to be calling, almost demanding. Unfortunately, they were so soft she could not make out the words. She looked down at the unconscious golden woman again, and bit her bottom lip uncertainly.

* * *

King Necro sat in a quiet corner of a large chain restaurant and brooded over the attack that had broken his shields. '_I took out the most powerful_,' he thought to himself angrily. '_How could that have happened?_' He shook his head impatiently. '_The other attacks must have weakened it enough for her to get through. I'll have to be more careful next time._'

An evil smile broke suddenly across his face as he thought of his next victim. '_Haha, catch me if you can..._'

* * *

Princess Lady Serenity sat in the throne room and stared blankly out across the hall. Around her, the Senshi of the Sol System talked quietly. Every now and then, one of them would shoot a quick glance at her, looking away before she could catch their eye.

It still didn't seem real. Her mother had always been there. She couldn't possibly be dead. But Super Sailor Mercury and Super Sailor Mars could not find any trace of her. They were still looking, but their faces were becoming more fearful with every dead end.

All talking ceased as King Endymion slowly walked into the room. His daughter's heart twisted at his dazed expression. Without thinking, she stood up and walked over to his side. As he turned his blank eyes towards her, she heard herself speak.

"I'm sorry, Papa. I should have been faster. I should have attacked him before he... before..." Her voice trailed off choking on the words she could not say. "It's all my fault," she whispered looking down.

"She's alive," King Endymion said firmly. Princess Lady and the senshi looked up at him with surprised hope. "I don't know where she is, but she's alive."

"Endymion-sama..." Super Sailor Venus began sympathetically, but was cut off by his abrupt gesture.

"She's alive, I tell you. We just have to keep looking for her." His eyes suddenly focused on Super Sailor Venus. "You can see the red thread of fate that connects us, can't you?" Slowly, she nodded. "It's not broken. It's just... faded," he said. "Look for yourself. She's somewhere far away, but she's not dead!"

Super Sailor Venus blinked, andthen looked as the King commanded. "It ends..." she said in a puzzled tone. "It ends, but it doesn't." She looked over at the other senshi with new hope. "He might be right." Her expression became more determined. "Of course he's right. If anyone would know, he would. Mercury, can you trace that connection?"

Super Sailor Mercury gave Super Sailor Venus an uncertain look. "I've never been able to detect the threads of fate with the computer before... But I'll try."

"You can do it, Mercury," Super Sailor Jupiter said as Super Sailor Venus nodded. "You try, too, Mars, Vesta, Pallas," she continued. "You might be able to track it a little better with your psychic abilities." Super Sailor Venus nodded again then turned to their other psychic, the aqua-haired Senshi of the Oceans.

"Neptune, can you get an impression of it in your Mirror?" Super Sailor Venus asked. Super Sailor Neptune smiled grimly. "I'm trying. And I'll keep trying until we find her."

"Actually, I'll help Mercury," Sailor Pallas put in quietly. "I have good intuition, but it's not really useful for something focused like that."

Super Sailor Mercury looked at her a moment, then nodded. "Yes. Your intuition is more like mine, and your puzzle solving skills are very strong, too. That would definitely help," she said as she pulled out her mini-computer.

Princess Lady started as she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up into her father's dark blue eyes, and saw the shared pain and guilt. "It wasn't your fault, Small Lady. We'll find her. In the meantime, don't give in to the guilt or sadness. We still have a city to defend."

With a slow, deep breath, the princess nodded her head in agreement.


	8. Chapter 8 Smothered Dreams

_Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from "CardCaptor Sakura". They are all owned by the ladies of CLAMP who are much more talented than I. (smile) I also do not own anyone from "Sailor Moon". They are all owned by Takeuchi Naoko whose vision will live eternally. (bigger smile) (Much to Elflina's dismay...) All other characters are my own. Feel free to steal them._

_I do not hold chapters ransom for reviews, but I sure appreciate compliments, constructive criticism, and grammatical corrections. So if you feel like it, please press that little review button, and let me know what you think._

_Speaking of which, hurray! Another reviewer. And a first for me, too. Welcome Kali Minnamo! (grin) Hmm... Interesting thought on Black (Wicked) Lady. But no, she will not raise her head in any of my worlds. At least, not in the foreseeable future (which is all of a day). She certainly won't come up in this story. As you said, Lady has too many other things to worry about, and in this chapter it's just going to get worse. And in the next chapter...! Ah, really Small Lady, I _do _like you..._

_Nagareboshi means Shooting Star or Meteor. 2.5 cm is about 1 inch. Therefore, 5 cm is about 2 inches, and 15 cm is about 6 inches (since they are Japanese, naturally they think in metric but that's not so easy for US citizens. (smile))._

_- Raya_

**Moonlit Sakura**

Chapter 8 – Smothered Dreams

Nagareboshi snorted and shook her head as her rider drew back on the reins. After the blood red mare came to a halt, she turned her head to look at her red-headed rider with an accusing dark purple eye. "Ma, ma…" Bessa said softly as she smiled at the mare's impatience. She leaned forward and rubbed a hand down the white blaze on the Arabian's face. "I know. You want to run, and I'm being mean." She sighed and sat back in the saddle as Nagareboshi turned to face ahead again.

"Maybe that's what I need, too," she said, still speaking softly. "Just to run and forget it all for a few moments."

It had been almost a week since the queen had disappeared, a week of disappointment, fear, and frustration. No further attacks had come to help them identify the enemy or his weakness. There were still no clues as to where the queen had gone either. And, in spite of the support of her friends and family, Lady was sinking further and further into guilt and depression.

"It's not her fault," Bessa said more loudly as she clenched her fists on the reins. "We got there as soon as we could. And Neo-Queen Serenity-sama was already disappearing. Of COURSE she froze. We ALL did."

'_But she thinks she should have attacked sooner_,' Bessa thought to herself as she forced her hands to relax. '_Who knows, maybe it would have made a difference. Her attack got through, after all…_'

With a shake of her head, she turned her horse towards the riding paths. As Nagareboshi stepped forward eagerly, she loosened the reins and leaned forward. Nagareboshi gave a whicker as she lengthened her stride and began to race the wind.

* * *

Rei walked through the garden until she reached the old sakura tree in the middle. With a sigh, she laid her head against the trunk and closed her eyes. The sacred fire was not being very helpful in this search. All she could get from it was an impression of darkness, then light, and finally a full moon. 

'_Usagi…_' she thought longingly as she tried to let the frustration, fear, and guilt wash out of her. Slowly, she stilled her mind and waited for whatever vision might come. Anything.

And slowly, a scene formed in her mind. A girl about Lady's age was standing in the middle of a crystal hallway wearing a dress the color of sakura blossoms. In her hand, she held a card of some sort. It was about 15 cm tall with a pink design on the side facing Rei. Rei felt a distant surprise as she sensed the aura around the card. The feeling of earth and strength and magic was very strong. Suddenly, the girl cried out in fright and denial as the card in her hand flashed.

Rei gasped as she jerked her head away from the tree. With wide eyes, she spun around and raced through the garden towards the palace. Without thinking, she transformed into Super Sailor Mars and teleported herself to Crystal Tokyo's City Hall.

'_That aura… It couldn't have been… Endymion-sama…_'

* * *

Sakura gave a weary sigh, and rubbed her tired eyes. She looked blearily at her English homework and fought the overwhelming urge to put her head down on her desk and sleep. Even though nothing further had happened to the Cards, the dreams continued to haunt her several times a night. This, added to all the magic she was working to try and get the Light/Dark Card to wake up, was beginning give her dark circles under her eyes. 

She took a deep breath. "All right," she said with determination. She bent over her workbook and looked at the first question. After staring at it blankly for several minutes, she groaned, put her pencil down, and scrubbed her face.

"This is never going to work," she whined. As she brought her hands down, she saw the glass bowl she was using for the aromatherapy candles. "Didn't I have some that were supposed to energize me?" she asked thoughtfully as she stared at the bowl.

She reached down into her desk drawer and drew out the bag of candles. "Ah, here they are." With a smile, she quickly got up to fill the bowl with water. She put it carefully on the floor beside her, and took out several red candles that were about 2 cm in diameter. "Birds and glittery roses. How pretty." With a shaky hand, she lit four birds and a single rose.

A wonderful vanilla-like scent blended with cinnamon spice began to fill the air. It was accented lightly by the scent of rose. Sakura took a deep breath and smiled again. Turning back to her desk, she sat down and tried once again to focus on her homework.

* * *

King Necro smiled with anticipation as he felt Super Sailor Mars approach. '_Come on, little girl. Think you can catch me this time?_' He snickered softly as he turned into a long hallway. 

The two guards by the far door looked at his suit and then his spiked orange hair and shifted uneasily. He just smiled at them as innocently as he could. The guard on the left was reaching for his gun when King Necro stopped in front of them.

"I have a message for Mayor Katsuhito," King Necro said to the guard on the right as he ignored the other one. He held out a small white envelope.

The two guards studied him a moment longer and then relaxed just a little. The guard on the left took his hand off of his gun and reached for the message. His mistake proved to be fatal.

As he gently tugged at the envelope to take it out of King Necro's hand, the fragile paper tore and released a cloud of fine grey dust into the air. Immediately, the two guards began to choke silently. Their hands clutched at their throats as they fell to the floor.

King Necro smiled evilly. "That's what you get for opening a personal message," he quipped as he reached for the door handle to the conference room.

* * *

Sakura found her concentration returning as she plowed her way through the vocabulary exercises. In the bowl beside her desk, the candles floated and burned: one rose surrounded by four birds.

* * *

Super Sailor Mars appeared with a flash of red light in the conference room where King Endymion was meeting with the city and prefecture politicians. As King Necro opened the door, she darted over to stand in front of her queen's husband. "Run!" she cried to the men and women who were staring at her in surprise. 

King Necro blinked in surprise when he heard her voice. His icy black eyes narrowed as he saw her standing between him and his prey.

"So. You managed to make it after all," he said in a calm voice. All around him, the politicians began to edge back towards the walls. He walked further into the room, leaving an open path to the door behind him. No one was brave enough to take him up on the invitation to flee.

Super Sailor Mars glared at him then spoke over her shoulder to the king. "Get out of here. Now!"

"Ah-ah," King Necro said narrowing his eyes. "That's not allowed." He whipped up his wand to cast his freeze spell.

"Mars Purifying BACKDRAFT!" A flaming bowl appeared behind her opponent. It quickly roared up to become a 10 foot wall of fire that charged at him, then clashed into his shield.

King Necro felt the heat of the attack, but didn't flinch. Super Sailor Mars' eyes went wide with shock as she saw her second most powerful attack fail. "Run!" she yelled again to the king and the politicians.

"No," King Endymion replied calmly. He summoned a deep red rose and flung it at King Necro's shield. As the rose was still flying through the air, he called out his next attack. "Elysian Molten ERUPTION!"

The sizzling red and gold lava hit King Necro's shield at the same point as the rose, but it had no apparent effect. King Necro's mouth twisted in a humorless smile. "My turn," he said bringing the wand around to point it at the King of Crystal Tokyo.

Super Sailor Mars tried to jump in front of him to take the blow, but she was only partially successful. With a shock, the two defenders realized that they couldn't move.

King Necro's smile grew wider. "Two for one. It must be my lucky day."

* * *

Bessa sighed as she turned Nagareboshi free in the pasture. The ride had been just what she needed to relax her. She had just decided to settle under a tree for some much needed meditation practice, when her communicator went off. 

"Enemy energy signature detected in the city. Everyone get to these co-ordinates stat!" Super Sailor Mercury's voice cried urgently.

Bessa felt her heart race with excitement and hope as she turned to run towards the point indicated on her tracker. "Vesta Power... Make-UP!" As she had been taught, she used the power from her transformation to teleport to the target location.

* * *

Super Sailor Mars struggled to move as she heard the man begin to chant. Around her, the politicians finally felt safe enough to run. She watched helplessly as they began to abandon her and the king. Then, she blinked in surprise as she saw Commissioner Azama of Public Safety and Commissioner Kitagawa of Education each pick up a chair and hurl it at the apparently defenseless enemy. Not waiting to see if they had broken through his shield, the two men dove under the large, solid table in the middle of the room. 

The two upholstered chairs splintered as they hit the shield. King Necro threw an irritated glance at the table, but continued to chant and wave his wand.

Super Sailor Mars felt a sudden searing pain in her right leg. Screaming, she fought harder against the paralysis wanting to clutch it.

More chairs flew towards the enemy, and then a gunshot was heard. Through her tears, Super Sailor Mars saw Mayor Katsuhito standing in the doorway, smoking gun in hand. She was resettling herself for another shot when a rainbow of flashing lights lit the conference room. The Senshi had arrived.

Another tearing pain, this time in her left side, made her scream again. King Endymion also screamed as the spell finally reached him.

"Mars! Endymion-sama!" Super Sailor Jupiter hollered.

Sobbing, Super Sailor Mars tried to gather her concentration so she could generate a shield to protect the king. More pain tore at her body and distracted her. She felt as if she were literally being ripped apart.

"Jupiter Storm STRIKE!" As Super Sailor Jupiter brought her hand down, dozens of green lightening bolts poured down from the ceiling to strike continuously at the shield.

"Venus Golden MELTDOWN!" A golden cloud of hearts surrounded Super Sailor Venus. With a spin and a toss of her golden hair, she swirled the cloud and flung it towards King Necro.

"Mercury Melodic SPRAY!" A spray of chiming ice crystals flew from Super Sailor Mercury's hands towards her target.

King Necro's shield began to glow and crackle as it absorbed the energy of the attacks. The man, however, refused to be distracted from his spell. He shouted the last few words in triumph just as Super Sailor Moon and her senshi yelled their attack.

"XGIFRA XTEC HO MRIL!"

"SAILOR PLANET BOMBARDMENT!" Blazing globes of colored light flew across the room.

King Necro smiled evilly and bowed towards the senshi. He faded out just as the final attack broke his shield.

"Come back here!" Sailor Juno yelled in frustration.

"Mars! Endymion-sama!" Super Sailor Venus cried, running towards her friends. Freed from the paralyzation spell, the two victims writhed in pain, tears running down their faces.

"Venus," Super Sailor Mars sobbed. "A girl... with cards... pink... pink cards." The last words were as soft as a whisper as she faded from sight.

"Nooo!" Super Sailor Moon wailed. "Rei-chan! Papa!"

"Be strong... Sailor Moon," her father gasped as he too disappeared.

"NOOOOOO..."

* * *

Sakura jerked upright as she heard a scream of denial echo through her head. She felt a surge of power slam into the Sakura Book, and then the world went dark. 

Kero flew into the room just in to see his mistress collapse from the power overload. "Sakura!" he cried as he dove towards her. He transformed into his larger form mid-dive and caught her before she hit the floor.

"Sakura. Sakura. Sakura!"


	9. Chapter 9 The Need to Be Strong

_Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from "CardCaptor Sakura". They are all owned by the ladies of CLAMP who are much more talented than I. (smile) I also do not own anyone from "Sailor Moon". They are all owned by Takeuchi Naoko whose vision will live eternally. (smile) (Much to Elflina's dismay...) All other characters are my own. Feel free to steal them._

_I do not hold chapters ransom for reviews, but I sure enjoy compliments, constructive criticism, and grammatical corrections. So if you feel like it, please press that little review button, and let me know what you think. - Raya_

**Moonlit Sakura**

Chapter 9 – The Need to Be Strong 

"Sakura. Sakura. Sakura!"

Sakura winced and whimpered in pain as she tried to ignore the voice calling to her.

"Sakura! Sakura, wake up! Sakura!"

Painfully, she opened one green eye and glared at Kero. "My head hurts," she whined. "Go 'way!"

"Sakura! What happened! Sakura!"

With a groan, Sakura gave up her attempt to seek peaceful oblivion and slowly sat up on her bed. "Just stop yelling. Please?" she whimpered as she held her head. Seeing that she was finally awake, Kero stopped talking.

"What happened?" she asked shakily as she looked around her room.

"That's what I'd like t' know," Kero replied as softly as he could. "You jus' collapsed 'bout half 'n hour ago, an' you wouldn' wake up."

Sakura tried to think through the pain in her head. "The Sakura Book. Something happened..."

"What? The Book?" Kero cried at full voice, causing his mistress to whimper and grab her head again. Quickly he flew to the desk and pulled out the book that held the Sakura Cards. He stared at it a few moments, and then shook his head.

"I don' sense anything different in the Book," he said turning to look at Sakura.

She just paled as she remembered the dream and the voice that had echoed through her head. Wincing, she pushed herself out of her bed and walked over to the desk. Her hands were trembling as she opened the book and removed the Cards. She heard Kero gasp in shock as she found the newly transformed Cards.

Power was in front of Earthy, while Dream obscured Firey.

* * *

"Minako-chan."

Minako stopped in the middle of the hallway and looked inquisitively at Makoto over her shoulder.

"Minako-chan, the delegation from the Central American Union is here," Makoto said. Her uncertain expression showed that she didn't know what to do with them.

Minako sighed and closed her eyes for a moment. "Where is Lady-chan?" she asked already knowing the answer.

"We don't know. She disappeared an hour or so ago," Makoto answered with a sympathetic yet irritated expression.

Minako pinched the bridge of her nose and tried to think. "Have they heard about… Endymion-sama and Serenity-san?" she asked.

"I think so," Makoto replied, biting her lower lip. "They didn't seem surprised about being met so discourteously."

"Have them shown to their rooms, and let them know that the Princess will meet with them tomorrow at the scheduled time. Cancel the formal reception tonight, but make sure they get a good welcoming feast."

Makoto nodded her understanding. "Do you think Lady-chan will be up to seeing them tomorrow?" she asked softly.

Minako shrugged. "I'll do my best," she said. "She's always been good about meeting her duties before, but…"

Makoto nodded again and then reached out to put a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder. "I'll tell them myself. Good luck."

Minako watched her friend walk back down the hall towards the reception hall then turned with another sigh. '_It's only been two days_,' she thought to herself as she headed towards the formal gardens in search of her princess. '_She deserves time to come to terms with this, but she doesn't have it. The drought in Central America is becoming severe, and something needs to be done quickly to help the people get through this. And soon, the delegation from South Africa will be here trying to wheedle more trade concessions. And then the Chinese…_"

Shaking her head at the work that wouldn't go away, she pushed open an etched crystal door and stepped outside. She searched the formal, informal, and rose gardens, but she could not find the girl. Growing concerned, she considered calling for an all-out search.

Just as she was reaching for her communicator, she saw Lady sitting in her old swing on the ginkou tree dressed in a fuzzy white sweater and a pink skirt. She closed her eyes and breathed a sigh of relief before hurrying over to the object of her search.

"Lady-chan?" she called softly. She watched guiltily as Lady started and then quickly rubbed her eyes. "Lady-chan, the delegation from the Central American Union is here," she started to say. Lady looked up at her angrily and interrupted her.

"So what?"

Minako blinked at her princess in surprise at both the statement and the harsh tone. "So, they're here to seek our aid," she began again.

"I'm too busy to see them," Lady said glaring and beginning to rock her swing. Minako's eyes narrowed at this blatant lie, and she glared back.

"Now see here, young lady, you can't just ignore them," she said in a reprimanding tone.

Lady jumped out of her swing and stood defiantly in front of Minako. Her entire body was rigid, and her hands were balled into fists. Tears poured unnoticed down her face as she glared angrily. "You're not my mother. You can't tell me what to do!" she yelled.

"Of course I'm not your mother," Minako snapped, "and thank heavens for _that_." She stopped herself, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. A quick thought of sympathy for Serenity passed through her mind and gave her a twinge of pain in her heart. She heard Lady spin to run away, and reached out to grab the girl's arm.

"Small Lady, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that," she said to the struggling princess. "Look, just listen to me for a moment, okay? I know you want to be alone right now. I know you don't want to deal with the pressure of your royal duties. I wish I could leave you alone. I… I want to go find a quiet place and cry, too," she said choking, eyes still closed. "But neither of us can do that. Our duties won't go away, and no-one else can do them for us."

"She's right, you know, ChibiUsa-chan," an unexpected soft voice said. Minako opened her eyes and saw Super Sailor Saturn standing by the tree. Lady was still facing away from her, rigid, but not trying to pull away anymore.

"Other people's troubles haven't gotten smaller. Yours have just gotten bigger," Super Sailor Saturn continued with a gentle look in her violet-grey eyes. "That's when you have to be your strongest." She paused for a moment, and then continued. "I remember you told me once… That is what you admired most about Usagi-san: the fact that no matter how hurt she was, she always gave her best to help others."

Minako felt Lady wince at her mother's name. She opened her mouth to say something more along those lines when a coldly amused voice interrupted them.

"Oh, what a quaint sentiment. So sweet. So saintly," the orange-headed man said as he appeared beside them. "I bet she died an early death."

"You!" Lady hissed angrily.

"Lady!" Minako cried, pulling roughly on the girl's arm.

Super Sailor Saturn leapt protectively in front of her princess.

"Out of my way," he growled, waving his wand at the Senshi of Destruction. The Silence Glaive suddenly appeared in her hands, and she used it to block the blow he sent at her.

"Run," she called to the others.

"No!" Lady replied. "We have to help you. He can't have you, too."

"You can't help me," her friend replied, blocking another blow. "You have to go find Sailor Moon!" She glanced over her shoulder at her princess significantly. Seeing her distraction, King Necro flung his freeze spell at her. Super Sailor Saturn's eyes widened when she realized she couldn't move. "Go!" she cried.

Minako began to drag Lady away, keeping the frozen senshi between them and the enemy. He glared at them angrily and tried to freeze them, too.

"Silent Wall!"

Minako breathed a sigh of relief when she was finally able to put the tree between them and the enemy. Slowly, she released her princess ready to catch her again if she tried to go back towards Super Sailor Saturn. The burning, dark pink eyes glared at her accusingly, but Lady began to run towards shelter.

Quickly, Minako triggered the all call on her communicator. "Enemy in the playground by the swing. He has Saturn. Hurry!"

As soon as they were completely out of King Necro's sight, the two senshi stopped running. Lady reached for her broach, but was stopped by Minako's voice. "Lady-chan…" She glared at the golden-haired leader of the senshi, daring her to stop her. Minako just shook her head.

"Lady-chan," she said again. "Just… be careful. That's all. You're the one he wants, and we can't do without you. Please remember that…" Minako's baby blue eyes pleaded for her princess to listen and understand. Slowly, Lady's gaze fell and she nodded. "Thank you," she sighed gratefully.

"Moon Crisis Power…" "Venus Star Power…" "Make-UP!"

"Why you…" King Necro growled angrily at Super Sailor Saturn. She just smiled as she saw Lady and Minako reach the shelter of the building. "You will pay for that!" He began to wave his wand angrily, chanting the words of the banishment spell.

Super Sailor Saturn's eyes widened as she heard the strange sounds then quickly shut as she focused her power. "Silent WALL!" She felt King Necro's spell claw at her shield, and poured all her strength into holding it. After what seemed like an eternity, she heard a hard voice call out.

"You again. We'll get you this time. Vesta Dream BEAST!" A tiger as tall as King Necro appeared and began to stalk around him. With a snarl, it leaped towards his face. Although he flinched, King Necro did not stop his spell. The tiger bounced off of his shield then began to fade in blotches just as the queen, the king, and Super Sailor Mars had done before.

"Pallas Torrential DOWNPOUR!" A cloud formed over his head, and a wall of water temporarily blocked his view of Super Sailor Saturn. Dry and undaunted, King Necro finished his spell and focused on getting it through Super Sailor Saturn's shield wall. The water in front of him vanished as if an umbrella had blocked it.

"Juno Slashing VINES!" Long vines began to tear futilely at his shield, disappearing when they came between him and his target. He curled his lip at them in disdain as he felt his spell finally begin to seep though to Super Sailor Saturn's fragile body.

"Ceres Flower ILLUSION!" A cloud of the golden lily-shaped flowers joined the rain and vines in attacking the shield. In the back of his mind, he wondered briefly what illusion she was trying to show him.

Super Sailor Saturn gave a sudden scream as his spell finally found her hands. She struggled to hold on to her Silent Wall, but felt the pain break her concentration.

"Mercury Melodic SPRAY!" "Jupiter Storm STRIKE!" "Venus Golden MELTDOWN!" "Rainbow Moon Heart ACHE!" "Neptune Towering TSUNAMI!" "Uranus Mach WIND!" "Pluto Phantom SHOCKWAVE!"

King Necro cried out with pain as his shield collapsed and several of the stronger attacks made it through. They blasted him back a distance before he managed to teleport to safety.

"Saturn!" Super Sailor Moon cried, racing to her friend. The Senshi of Destruction was even paler than usual as the pain of the spell clawed at her body erasing it in patches.

"Chi… ChibiUsa-chan," she sobbed. "I'm so glad… Re-remember what I said… Be strong… I'm trusting you… Trusting you to find me…"

"Hang in there, Hotaru-chan!" Sailor Pallas cried. Tears flowed unnoticed down her face.

"Saturn!" Sailor Vesta, Sailor Juno, and Sailor Ceres cried.

"No… Don't give up!" Super Sailor Venus cried clenching her fists.

"Blast it all!" Super Sailor Jupiter said, pounding her fist into her leg.

Super Sailor Mercury tried to ignore the tears in her eyes as she rapidly tapped the keys of her computer. She shook her head hard trying to clear her sight as she typed mostly by memory

Super Sailor Neptune clung to Super Sailor Uranus crying in disbelief as her adopted daughter faded from her sight. Super Sailor Uranus stared with wide, angry eyes. Although her left hand clenched her sword tightly, the arm she put around Super Sailor Neptune was gentle and supportive.

Super Sailor Pluto reached towards her adopted daughter with one yearning hand and tried to think of anything she could do to stop the horrible spell that was tearing the girl apart.

"Hotaru-chan!" Super Sailor Moon tried desperately to grab her friend as she faded from sight. Clenching her empty arms to her chest, she collapsed to the ground and cried as if her heart were broken.

* * *

A tall young man with platinum blond hair clenched the curtains by his window as a sudden pain went through his heart. '_She needs me,_' he thought to himself as he stared blindly at the spring flowers in front of him. '_I have to find her… She needs me…_' 


	10. Chapter 10 A Terrifying Silence

_Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from "CardCaptor Sakura". They are all owned by the ladies of CLAMP who are much more talented than I. (smile) I also do not own anyone from "Sailor Moon". They are all owned by Takeuchi Naoko whose vision will live eternally. (smile) (Much to Elflina's dismay...) All other characters are my own. Feel free to steal them._

_I do not hold chapters ransom for reviews, but I sure appreciate compliments, constructive criticism, and grammatical corrections. So if you feel like it, please press that little review button, and let me know what you think._

_ Am I uploading too fast? I know I have gotten into putting up a new chapter every other day which is probably okay for those who log on daily, but not for those who come in less often. If you would like me to slow down a little, please just let me know._

_ Hi aserene! It's okay. You don't have to review every chapter. Just every other one. Hahaha, no, really, as long as I know you're enjoying it, I'm happy. (smile) - Raya_

**Moonlit Sakura**

Chapter 10 – A Terrifying Silence

Sakura sat at her dining room table and rubbed her face tiredly. The sukiyaki dinner in front of her smelled delicious, but she was too tired to eat. Even coming from the couch living room to the dining room table had taken a strong exercise of will. '_This can't go on…_' she thought to herself.

"Sakura-san," her father said softly. "Please… You have to eat something."

She looked up at him with a weak attempt at her usual bright smile, and then reached for her chopsticks. She had just opened her mouth to thank her father for the food when the doorbell rang. The two diners looked at each other in surprise.

Quickly, her father folded his napkin and stood. "I'll get that," he said over his shoulder. "You go ahead and start eating."

A few moments later, he led Shaoran and Tomoyo into the dining room. Sakura's face lit up with pleasure as she saw her two best friends. "Tomoyo-chan! Shaoran-kun! What are you doing here?"

Their eyes widened in shock and worry as they saw the dark circles under her eyes. The fact that her eyes looked huge in her thin, wan face made the effect even more dramatic.

Tomoyo was the first to re-gather her composure. "You weren't in school today, so we thought we'd come by and check on you. How are you feeling today?"

Fujitaka puttered around the kitchen gathering two more place settings as Sakura tried to smile reassuringly at her friends. "I'm okay. Just… Very tired. Dad turned off my alarm this morning, so I missed morning classes. By the time I was ready to go, the day was mostly over."

Shaoran walked over to stand behind her, and put his hands on her shoulders. Concentrating, he began to transfer energy to her. As she felt the inrush of warm strength, Sakura jumped and looked over her shoulder at him. Then, she turned back to face the table and gratefully accepted his gift. After a minute of this, they sighed simultaneously and opened their eyes.

"Thank you, Shaoran-kun," Sakura said with some of her normal brightness. "Won't you guys sit down and join us? Dad made more than enough, as usual." She paused and took a deep breath. "Mmm… Shaoran-kun, what's that smell?"

"Huh?" Her boyfriend blinked at her in surprise, halfway into his chair. "What smell?"

"Hu-e… It smells like… like…" Sakura closed her eyes to help herself focus on the smell. "Flowers and incense. That's what it smells like."

"Incense? Oh, that must be from the myrrh. Wei was burning it earlier while he was meditating," Shaoran replied looking away with a little bit of a blush. Tomoyo smiled in amusement at his embarrassment.

"Oh. And the flowers?" Sakura asked, looking back down at her plate and selecting a thin slice of beef. Tomoyo and Fujitaka watched as his blush deepened.

"Um, flowers?" he asked, shifting uncomfortably as he watched the smiles grow bigger.

"Mmm… This is very good, Dad. Yes, flowers. Sweet flowers."

Shaoran looked around the table a moment, then sighed and dropped his head. "Oh. Those." He got up from the table and walked out of the room. Sakura blinked and stared after him in surprise. "Hu-e?"

He returned a few moments later with what appeared to be a bundle of tree branches wrapped in white florist paper. "I guess you mean these flowers," he said with a small smile. Sakura's eyes widened as she accepted his gift. "They are mimosas. I… uh… I thought their sweet smell and cheerful color might make you feel better," he said blushing again uncomfortably as he cast a quick glance at their audience.

Sakura smiled with delight and buried her face in the bouquet, inhaling deeply. "They're wonderful!" she exclaimed happily. Shaoran looked back at her and smiled with satisfaction at her pleasure.

As she was taking another deep breath, Sakura suddenly stiffened then jerked up her head. Her eyes were filled with dread and denial. She was just shaking her head when the space in front of her lit up and the Sakura Book appeared. She stared at it a second, and then fainted. Shaoran caught her just before she fell into the table. The bouquet fell forgotten to the floor.

"Sakura! Sakura!" Kero's voice echoed through the house as he flew down the stairwell and into the dining room. "Sakura! The Book…" He stopped as he saw the pink book floating in front of his unconscious mistress. "Not again," he whispered almost pleadingly.

"Kero-chan! What's going on?" Tomoyo cried, rushing around the table to Sakura. She stopped as Fujitaka got there first.

"I don' know," Kero said solemnly, turning to face the dark haired girl. "But I think another of the Card's changed. After the last incident, she's had Shield continuously guardin' the Book. And…"

"She's WHAT!" Shaoran exclaimed turning to glare at the little golden beast. "As exhausted as she's been because of these dreams and what happened to Light and Dark and the others… You LET HER KEEP SHIELD UP FULL TIME! No WONDER she looks like death warmed over!"

Kero interrupted the boy's venting of fear and frustration by yelling back. "As if I could stop her! I TOLD her it wasn't a good idea, but she insisted that she had to protect the rest of the Cards."

The two adversaries glared at each other for several moments, neither willing to back down. Tomoyo finally interrupted them. "Let's get her to the couch," she said worriedly. "Is she all right?"

* * *

Sakura blinked and looked around curiously. Once again, she was in the crystal hallway, but something was different. After a moment, she realized that there were new paintings on the wall. Curiously, she walked over to look at the one closest to her.

A beautiful woman with long white dress sat on a crescent moon as if it were a swing. Long flowing white pigtails escaped the small buns on either side of her head. Her cerulean blue eyes sparkled brightly as she smiled at Sakura. Below her, the Earth floated. The blue paint that represented the water also sparkled. The pearl white frame around the picture was carved with moons.

Sakura smiled back at the woman, and walked to the next picture. It showed a tall, dark-headed knight with a long sword belted to his side. He was standing in a golden bower covered with red and white roses. His dark blue eyes were solemn, but he smiled a slight smile as he held out a beautiful red rose in full bloom. Like the blue water in the other picture, the rose sparkled in the light. The frame for his picture was a dark brown and was carved with images of the sun.

Sakura looked down the hallway and saw that there were several other picture frames, but only one more was filled in. Eagerly, she stepped over to it. She gasped in shock. A woman with long black hair and a long, bright red dress danced in a sparkling inferno. The dreamy expression on her face showed no signs of pain or fear. Overhead, a full moon also appeared to be dancing in the flames. The flames seemed to run off of the picture and onto the dark red-gold frame that surrounded it.

"_Chi… ChibiUsa-chan._"

Sakura started and spun around as she heard the girl's soft, pain-filled sob.

"_I'm so glad…_" the voice continued. "_Re-remember what I said… Be strong… I'm trusting you… Trusting you to find me…_"

Looking up the hallway, Sakura saw a doorway appear next to the next picture frame.

"_Hang in there, Hotaru-chan!_" another girl's voice cried.

"_Saturn!_" another chorus of voices yelled.

"_No… Don't give up!_"

"_Blast it all!_"

"_Hotaru-chan!_" Sakura's eyes widened as she recognized that last heartbroken voice. A flash of light filled the hallway forcing Sakura to cover her eyes with her arm. When it died down, she saw a Card floating in front of her.

As she saw the image of Erase staring solemnly at her from the front of the Card, she felt a wave of cold fear and dread flow over her. Trembling, she wrapped her arms around herself and stepped back away from the Card. It floated in front of her for a moment, and then slowly drifted over to the next frame.

Sakura felt herself walking forward unwillingly to see the portrait that appeared. A young woman with shoulder-length black hair and luminous white skin floated in an oval of light in the middle of the picture. She was sitting with her arms around her legs, her head on her knees, and her face towards the painter. Her eyes were closed, and her lips were parted slightly in a faint smile of pleasure. Beside her lay a long pole with two sharp, sparkling, curved blades at one end. Her long, sparkling, violet gown was the only color in the portrait. Over her head, a crescent moon shone a spotlight on her. The rest of the picture was black as midnight. The carvings on the black frame were unreadable, almost invisible.

Sakura felt herself turning away from the picture and towards the door. Its honey brown wood was carved with strange symbols. 'Planetary symbols…?" she said in an uncertain tone. One symbol, a strangely shaped hiragana n with a bar through the standing leg began to glow with a bright purple light. Then, the door opened.

Sakura found herself walking through the door. As it closed behind her, she realized that she was in Tsukimine shrine, next to the old sakura tree. She blinked and looked around in surprise.

'_You will not win,_' she heard the familiar voice say. Spinning to her right, she saw a girl about her own age standing in front of a man with spiked orange hair. Although she couldn't see their faces, she noticed that the girl wore a long white gown like the woman in the first portrait. The dress was a little different, and she had long pink hair instead of white, but Sakura felt certain that she was related somehow to the other woman.

The man laughed coldly as the girl raised a scepter in her right hand. Sakura flinched as she recognized the evil man from her first dream. '_They're dead, Princess_,' he said sneering the last word with obvious hatred. '_All of them. Who will protect you now?_'

'_They're _not _dead_,' the princess replied firmly. '_I will find them and bring them back. And then…_'

With a wave of a dark wooden wand, the man cut her off. A dark, ugly black light flew out of the wand towards the girl. Sakura wanted to run to her but found that she suddenly could not move. The girl blocked the light with her scepter.

Wincing in pain, she tried to keep the scepter between the man and herself. '_Moon… Power…_' she said softly, eyes narrowed in concentration. A bright light surrounded her, causing her adversary and Sakura to wince.

* * *

Shaoran gently laid Sakura on the couch in the living room. He kept a hold of her hand as he moved out of Fujitaka's way. The older man placed a cold compress on his daughter's forehead, and stared down at her helplessly.

Tomoyo stood to one side, clutching the Sakura Book to her chest, and looked at her friend with frightened, worried eyes. "Will… Will she be all right?" she asked Shaoran and Kero.

"Hmm…" Kero replied unhelpfully. Shaoran drug his brown eyes away from his girlfriend's face and turned to face her. "Of course she'll be all right," he replied trying to sound confident.

As he caught sight of the Book, a thought seemed to occur to him. Gently, he laid Sakura's hand on her stomach and then stood up. "Tomoyo-san, may I see the Book please?"

"What? Oh, of course," Tomoyo replied. She handed the book to Shaoran, and then took his place beside Sakura.

Shaoran lay the Book on the coffee table and tried to open it. Kero watched him a moment, then snorted smugly. "Only Sakura, Yue, and I c'n open the Book," he said with a superior tone.

Shaoran glared at him, and then turned back to the Book. "Book of Sakura, please open for me. I have a favor to ask of the Cards which will help your mistress."

For a long moment, they all stared at the Book waiting to see if it would listen to its mistress' love. When it became obvious that the Book was not going to cooperate, Kero began to snicker. "Told ya. That Book only responds t' the three of us. It would never open for…"

He broke off abruptly, his mouth dropping open in shock, as Tomoyo calmly reached over, released the latch, and lifted the cover. She smiled sweetly at his flabbergasted expression. "Sakura gave me access a long time ago so I could choose Cards to film while she changed costumes," she explained.

As Kero continued to blink at Tomoyo in open-mouthed shock, Shaoran cautiously removed the Cards. Gently, he flipped through them looking for the one he wanted. He looked uneasy as he set aside the Light/Dark, Power/Earthy, and Dream/Firey Cards. Finally, he found the Sleep Card and put it on the table beside the Book. He was just putting the deck back into the Book when he noticed the next Card in line.

His face paled in shock and fear as he released the deck and stared at the top Card. Fujitaka frowned at his expression and walked to stand next to him to see what had caused the boy such distress. He, too, paled at what he saw. Although he was not familiar with the Cards, his awakened magical senses felt the danger, coldness, and power of the Card lying there.

The movement finally broke Kero out of his shock. When he saw the expression on their faces, his face become concerned and he flew over to see what had happened. He felt as if he'd been sucker-punched. Erase had covered Silent. And to his magical senses, the resulting Card felt like Death.

Reluctantly, Shaoran picked the Card up and laid it beside Sleep. He put the other Cards back into the Book then laid the newly changed Card on top. Breathing a sigh of relief, he closed the Book, and picked up Sleep.

He turned to Sakura and put the Card in her hand. "Sleep," he said in a firm, yet polite tone. "Please help your mistress to sleep deeply and dreamlessly so that she can wake refreshed."

For a moment, it seemed as if the Card would ignore him the way the Book had. Then, it began to glow softly. The glow spread to encompass Sakura, who gave a small sigh and relaxed out of her dream and into deep slumber.


	11. Chapter 11 Responsibilities

_Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from "CardCaptor Sakura". They are all owned by the ladies of CLAMP who are much more talented than I. (smile) I also do not own anyone from "Sailor Moon". They are all owned by Takeuchi Naoko whose vision will live eternally. (smile) (Much to Elflina's dismay...) All other characters are my own. Feel free to steal them._

_I do not hold chapters ransom for reviews, but I sure enjoy compliments, constructive criticism, and grammatical corrections. So if you feel like it, please press that little review button, and let me know what you think. - Raya_

**Moonlit Sakura**

Chapter 11 – Responsibilities 

The early morning sunlight shone brightly on Princess Lady Serenity as she sat in the bay window of her sitting room, and sparkled brightly on the chain she held in one hand. Princess Lady contemplated the chain with sad, burning eyes.

She wasn't thinking about its pretty design of sun, moon, stars, and planetary symbols. She wasn't thinking about what it represented: absolute authority and responsibility for the entire Sol system. She wasn't even thinking about what it would mean if she actually put it on. Instead, her mind was on her last encounter with its true owner.

'_I may look 17, but I am 910 years old. When are you going to let me do what _I_ want to do?_'

'_Small Lady…_'

'_I'm not small anymore! I've grown up. When are you going to accept that?_'

'_When you act it!_'

Their final argument and her mother's scream of pain and fear as she disappeared played over and over again in her head. As the sun caught the symbol for Venus, another memory rose, temporarily drowning out the other two.

'_I know you want to be alone right now. I know you don't want to deal with the pressure of your royal duties. I wish I could leave you alone. I… I want to go find a quiet place and cry, too. But neither of us can do that. Our duties won't go away, and no-one else can do them for us._'

Her hand closed over the chain abruptly, blocking it from sight.

'_Other people's troubles haven't gotten smaller. Yours have just gotten bigger. That's when you have to be your strongest… I remember you told me once… That is what you admired most about Usagi-san: the fact that no matter how hurt she was, she always gave her best to help others._'

'_Re-remember what I said… Be strong… I'm trusting you…_'

Lady bowed her head and fought back more tears as Hotaru's final words came back to her.

* * *

Super Sailor Venus stopped in front of Lady's door and raised her hand to knock. She paused, staring at the door, and then closed her eyes and lowered her gloved hand back down to her side. '_I just can't…_' With a sigh of resignation, she turned and began to walk back down the hallway trying to decide on a story for the Central American delegation.

* * *

Princess Lady stood in front of her mirror and studied her image with critical eyes. Her dark pink eyes were even redder than usual as a result of all her crying, but she had managed to reduce the swelling around them. A bit of lotion and powder had toned down the red, irritated skin on her nose and erased all of the tear tracks on her cheeks. She raised her head proudly and decided it would have to do.

She reached out and picked up her rarely used royal tiara from its spot on her dresser. She settled it firmly on her head, then reached out and gathered up the chain she had taken from her mother's room. Carefully, she strung it into place across her forehead, its ends attached to her tiara. The center dip fell precisely where it should in the middle of her forehead. As if her thoughts had summoned it, her crescent moon sigil began to glow softly, framed by the chain.

She looked at herself a moment more, then nodded her head resolutely and turned towards the door. It was time to get to work.

'_Remember, act like Mama, and talk like Papa. Act like Mama, talk like Papa..._' she thought to herself as she walked though the halls. As she approached the red reception chamber where her meeting was supposed to take place, Princess Lady was surprised to hear Minako's voice coming out of the room.

"I am afraid the Princess will not be able to join us this morning after all. She has been unavoidably detained by… a pressing matter."

As Princess Lady stepped into the room, she saw the lead delegate's disgruntled expression and heard the uneasy muttering of his team.

"Does she think she's the only one who's ever lost family?" the leader, a thin, elderly gentleman with tanned skin and a dark black suit, asked irritably. "We have a significant problem, too, and we need help _now_, not when she's out of mourning."

"Or is there something else you're not telling us?" one of his dark-haired, tanned subordinates asked nervously.

As Super Sailor Venus opened her mouth to speak again, Princess Lady spoke up. "Not at all," she said reassuringly. "I am sorry I am so late. Fortunately, I was able to clear up that other matter more quickly than expected." She smiled faintly at Super Sailor Venus, who stood blinking at her in surprise.

Super Sailor Venus' eyes widened with shock as she saw the chain that Princess Lady was wearing. She blinked back sudden tears of relief and sadness, and then bowed respectfully to her princess.

"At the moment," Princess Lady continued turning to the worried aide, "Crystal Tokyo is quite safe. You have nothing to worry about. If for some unexpected reason the palace should be attacked, the senshi will protect you with their lives."

She turned back to the elderly leader of the party. "And sir, I am not in mourning. While my parents may have been captured, they are very much alive. I understand, however, that you cannot await their return. Therefore, shall we adjourn to the green meeting room and begin our discussions?" Super Sailor Venus looked at her Princess uncertainly, thrown a little off balance by her poised, polished air and unusual vocabulary.

The gentleman looked at the princess suspiciously, which made Super Sailor Venus smile slightly in amusement. She addressed the delegate respectfully. "Governor San Luis, may I introduce the acting ruler of Earth and Crystal Tokyo, her Royal Highness Princess Lady Serenity? Princess, this is the governor of Guatemala and the lead delegate of the Central American Union, Señor Miguel Hernandez San Luis, his secretary Señora Maria Rodriguez, and his junior assistants Señor José Fernandez of Costa Rica and Señor Diego Gorostieta of Mexico."

"How do you do," Princess Lady said politely, nodding her head to the group.

"You? You are the Princess? But, the Princess is almost a millennium old!" Señor Fernandez exclaimed in surprise. "You don't look a day over 16!" Governor San Luis closed his eyes at this terrible political gaffe, while Señor Gorostieta grabbed his friend by the arm and tried to make him stop.

Princess Lady just smiled much to Super Sailor Venus' surprise and relief. "Yes, I am the Princess. Sailor Mercury, our scientist, has determined that my extremely slow growth rate is a result of my close proximity to the full power of the queen's Silver Crystal." She turned to face Governor San Luis who still looked a little doubtful. "My parents, however, began my training many years ago, and have ruled that in their absence I have full authority. You may verify this if you wish, Governor."

The older gentleman nodded politely, dark eyes neutral. "Of course, your highness. In the meantime, I believe you mentioned a meeting room?"

Princess Lady nodded back, and gracefully indicated that they should accompany her from the room. Super Sailor Venus looked after them in disbelief. '_That was LADY-CHAN?_' she thought to herself. Abruptly, she shook herself and raced after the disappearing party.

* * *

Pallas looked curiously over Ami's shoulder at the computer screen, trying hard not to jostle the older woman. Ami sighed, and rubbed the bridge of her nose with uncharacteristic frustration. Pallas backed up, giving her a look of apology.

Ami shook her head at the younger girl and gave her a small, reassuring smile. "No, it's not you, Pallas-chan. It's this data. It just doesn't make any sense. I'm missing something somewhere I just know it. But what…" Her voice trailed off as she looked back at the screen.

She sighed again, and turned to another computer. "And then there's this to distract me."

"What is it?" Pallas asked curiously.

"It's a recording of our encounters with the enemy. Well, a recording of the words we can't understand I mean. He seems to be chanting some kind of spell, but I can't figure out what language it is in. I'm hoping that once I can figure that out, we'll have another search point. But so far, the linguistic computer hasn't turned up anything."

Pallas turned to the older senshi with shining eyes. "Maybe I can help with that one?" she asked softly. "I am pretty good at puzzles and languages."

Ami blinked, and then smiled. "Of course. And that would leave me free to concentrate on this tracking program."

Pallas smiled in understanding. "Yes, you can concentrate on finding the one you are supposed to protect," she said.

Ami just chuckled. "I am so glad you understand." She became serious. "And that you are willing to do that part by yourself rather than just providing assistance. This will be an enormous relief. Thanks."

Pallas returned her serious look. "Of course. They are my queen and king, too, and the parents of my best friend. And Rei-san and Hotaru-chan… Well, all four of them, actually, are my friends, too," she added with a smile. "That little summer trip a few years ago helped a lot with that."

Ami smiled then reached over to the linguistic computer to remove the disc. She handed it to her assistant. "Good luck."


	12. Chapter 12 Searching

_Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from "CardCaptor Sakura". They are all owned by the ladies of CLAMP who are much more talented than I. (smile) I also do not own anyone from "Sailor Moon". They are all owned by Takeuchi Naoko whose vision will live eternally. (smile) (Much to Elflina's dismay...) All other characters are my own. Feel free to steal them._

_I do not hold chapters ransom for reviews, but I sure enjoy compliments, constructive criticism, and grammatical corrections. So if you feel like it, please press that little review button, and let me know what you think. _

_Wow, three reviews this time! Including one new reviewer! Welcome, Taeniaea! Neither you nor aserene need to wait any more. (grin) Please enjoy... A double shot! Haha, Ch. 12 & 13 were so small, I decided to be nice and upload them together._

_Kali, your comment worried me a little. I didn't make Lady act TOO mature, did I? I kinda figured she's been through a lot of maturing events in her life (Black Moon Invasion, being killed by Mistress 9, falling in love with Helios, the fight at the Cauldron, my Sleeper story, etc.), so after over 900 years she can act it when she needs to. What do you all think? Even though they're written, I can still modify things in the future chapters if I've missed something._

_Hope you all enjoy! - Raya_

**Moonlit Sakura**

Chapter 12 – Searching

King Endymion slowly opened his eyes and looked around. The misty, pinkish world he saw made him frown with confusion. He stilled as he saw a little girl curled up against a regal looking woman a short distance away. They both appeared to be sleeping.

He stared at the pair a moment trying to puzzle out why the two seemed familiar. He finally determined that the little girl looked a little like a younger, pink version of Pallas dressed in Mideastern puff-pants. He could not figure out whom the woman looked like, but her green crown, beautiful dress, and silky cape indicated that she was someone important. His psychic senses told him that neither of them was what they appeared to be, but they did not appear to be active threats at the moment.

After several minutes, he turned his attention back to his surroundings. He sighed and ran a hand through his dark hair as he realized that there was absolutely nothing around but pink mist. '_I must be in some sort of limbo world_,' he thought to himself.

Turning again to face the other two occupants of the mist, he slowly closed his eyes and sank his awareness deep into his soul. After all of the practice this past week, finding his link to Serenity was very easy. His eyes flew open as he realized that he could feel her again. She was close! Somewhere out in that befuddling mist was his precious love.

Taking a deep breath, he quickly closed his eyes again and tried to call her through their link. It wasn't a name so much as an image: an image of a beautiful, smiling, cheerful woman with long silver/gold hair and bright blue eyes. '_Love…_'

* * *

Serenity raised her tear-stained face up from her hands as she heard Endymion's voice. She looked wildly around trying to find him. He had sounded so close!

Forgetting the strange, possibly dangerous voices that never seemed to hear her and the two women with her that never seemed to wake up, she cried out all of her loneliness, fear, and longing. "Mamo-chan!"

* * *

Super Sailor Saturn stared at the androgynous figure in front of her. Despite the fact that it was wearing a strange checkered outfit and a jester's hat, she knew that it was dangerous. It stared back at her unblinking. Off to one side, a woman with a high collar covering the lower part of her face watched them try to stare each other down.

'_Mamo-chan_!'

Super Sailor Saturn turned instinctively to find the source of that lonely, frightened cry. "Serenity-sama," she whispered. Blinking, she quickly turned back to the two people facing her, only to see that they were looking around as well.

"I do not mean you any harm," she said finally. "I did not come here willingly, and as soon as I can I will leave. But that is a friend of mine calling. I have to find her. Can you help me? Do you know where she is?"

The two figures looked at her silently then shook their heads. Super Sailor Saturn sighed softly then tried to see through the pink mist once more. When she still could not make anything out, she closed her eyes, picked a direction by instinct, and began to walk.

It didn't take very long for her to realize that the other two figures were walking with her. She gave them a curious glance, and then decided to ignore them.

* * *

'_Mamo-chan_!'

Super Sailor Mars woke abruptly as the cry echoed across her soul. "Usagi..."

She blinked, and reached up to rub her head. "Where am I? What happened?" Her eyes widened as she remembered being torn apart by the enemy's spell. Quickly, she ran her hands over her body and confirmed that she was in one piece.

With a sigh of relief, she turned to study the landscape around her. "Where is this place? Pink mist?" Suddenly, she remembered King Endymion and began to look around for him frantically. "Endymion-sama! Endymion-sama... Where are you?"

She stilled as she saw two figures laying a short distance away. "Endymion-sama? Serenity?" She rose and hurried over to look at them. She sagged with disappointment when she realized it was not her friends. As she looked at them a bit longer, however, her face became curious.

The elder looking figure was a woman with a hat pulled down to her nose. In fact, it looked more like a huge mask without eye holes than a hat. Her formfitting white gown emphasized her slender body, and her calf-length cape had an Egyptian flare to it.

The other figure seemed to be an elfin child with large ears and wings of flame. It wore a red-gold band around its head, like a tiara. That appeared to be all it was wearing although she didn't lift its wings to find out.

She closed her eyes and tried to sense their auras. What she felt made her eyes snap open again. She studied them again with a little more respect for a moment, and then turned to resume her search for Serenity and Endymion.

She settled herself on what appeared to be solid pink mist, and began to stretch her psychic senses to look for her friends.


	13. Chapter 13 Unwanted Help

_Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from "CardCaptor Sakura". They are all owned by the ladies of CLAMP who are much more talented than I. (smile) I also do not own anyone from "Sailor Moon". They are all owned by Takeuchi Naoko whose vision will live eternally. (smile) (Much to Elflina's dismay...) All other characters are my own. Feel free to steal them._

_I do not hold chapters ransom for reviews, but I sure enjoy compliments, constructive criticism, and grammatical corrections. So if you feel like it, please press that little review button, and let me know what you think. _

_Okay, so tiny is more like it. (smile) I believe these are the two shortest chapters, but they really didn't fit together..._

_- Raya_

**Moonlit Sakura**

Chapter 13 – Unwanted Help 

King Necro lay in his little home-away-from-home deep in the South American jungle and watched fretfully as the holographic image of Princess Lady Serenity went about her normal daily duties. The brat was always accompanied by at least two alert senshi when she was in the accessible parts of the palace. To make the situation even more irritating, she didn't seem to be the least bit upset or weakened by the loss of her parents. She just took over their duties and continued to act as if they would return soon.

He picked up a rotten orange and threw it angrily at the image of the Princess. It passed through the hologram without causing a ripple, and then splattered against the far wall.

"My, aren't _we_ in a bad mood today," he heard an amused voice say with false sweetness. Quickly, he turned to look towards the entrance of his room. He closed his eyes and bit back a groan as he saw the woman standing in the doorway.

Her micro-mini moss-green business suit traced with a tarnished silver pattern, and her knee-length pale-grey hair were unmistakable. "Fey. What are you doing here?" he asked irritably.

The woman chuckled, sauntered into the room, and sat down on his bed. "Why, I'm here to see your sister, of course. Haven't you found her yet?"

He reopened his eyes and glared at her. "I'm not here to look for my sister," he said icily. "I'm here to find our Empress and to prepare the way for the Court to control this world."

"Oh?" Queen Fey asked, arching a silver eyebrow. "Funny. I know you and Yeti weren't that close, but I thought there was SOME family loyalty there." He continued to stare silently and icily into her dark violet eyes.

Finally, she shifted uncomfortably under his gaze and looked away. Unfortunately, she knocked against one of his burnt legs making him gasp in pain. She immediately turned back to face him with another arched eyebrow.

"Well… I wondered why this world wasn't ours yet. And here I thought you were just being lazy," she said in her falsely sweet voice. "Who hurt you? That sweet little girl you are watching?" She pointed at the hologram, where Princess Lady was laughing at something her pale-green haired senshi had said.

King Necro growled as he reached out and flicked his wand at the image. It shattered into a million pieces, and then faded away. "No, that little girl didn't hurt me. Her only power is that of rank."

Queen Fey chuckled again at his bitter, angry tone. "Then why is she still there? Unless… She's not a target?" This time, she raised both eyebrows in inquiry. "I never knew you liked them so young and sugary sweet," she teased. Her watchful, cold violet eyes were a stark contrast to her sweet tone.

King Necro paled in anger. "What are you trying to imply?" he bit out icily. "She is the next target on the list that is all. If you are just here to torment me, I suggest you leave immediately before I report you for obstruction. If you have a message, then deliver it and get out of here."

Queen Fey looked at him a moment longer, then gave a soft snort. "Oh, you'd like that, wouldn't you. Well, I am afraid I just cannot comply. The Emperor," she continued, buffing her nails on her coat, and then looking at them critically, "is wondering why this is taking so long. Apparently, he thought your plan was a little more aggressive than this." She waved a hand around the room indicating his hiding place. "He expected you to bring his wife home quite some time ago."

"What!" King Necro shouted. "Things are going just fine! I may be a little behind schedule, but not that much!"

"Still, he is getting impatient," she said with a serious look. "And so, he sent me to give you a hand."

"I don't need your help!" he growled. "I found the Stygian spell, and have eliminated the King and Queen and two of their guards. The Princess will be next, once I see the right moment to get at her. Then, the capital city will be ours and I will pick off the remaining guards."

"And it will go faster with my help," she said lightly. "In fact, maybe I'll take down a few of those guards while you're going after the Princess. That would certainly speed things up." She looked at his furious face then continued softly. "You don't have any choice. I am here with the Emperor's orders to help you speed this up. I suggest you get over your temper-tantrum so we can get on with it."

A sudden smile appeared on her face as she stood up quickly. "But before we can do anything, you need to get your strength back. And I know just the thing to do it: Dark Mushroom soup!"

King Necro groaned with helpless frustration and anger as his new assistant began to conjure up the ingredients for the Court's greatest cure-all. '_I'll get you for this,_' he thought towards the senshi who had wounded him. '_You will definitely pay…_'


	14. Chapter 14 Shattered Shield

_Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from "CardCaptor Sakura". They are all owned by the ladies of CLAMP who are much more talented than I. (smile) I also do not own anyone from "Sailor Moon". They are all owned by Takeuchi Naoko whose vision will live eternally. (smile) (Much to Elflina's dismay...) All other characters are my own. Feel free to steal them._

_I do not hold chapters ransom for reviews, but I appreciate compliments, constructive criticism, and grammatical corrections. So if you feel like it, please press that little review button, and let me know what you think._

_Hello to my faithful aserene... Hmmm... Should they save Sere and Endy? Or should S&E save themselves... I wonder which it will be... (evil grin). And hello, also, to Taeniaea. Despite the fact that less than 20 people have read the last two chapters (per the Stats), I will not hold up this chapter. (smile) Why 20? Because that is about half of the stats for the previous chapters, which to me translates as half the people. And, I don't want anyone getting too far behind, hahaha... And finally, welcome to my new reviewer, Rasmus. Thank you so much for the information. As you may have noticed, I updated the list._

_For those reading Lonely Harp (my PGSM story), and have had enough of short chapters, here's a nice long one for you, hahaha... Enjoy, minna!_

_- Raya_

**Moonlit Sakura**

Chapter 14 – Shattered Shield

"Lady-chan, the delegation from South Africa is here," Super Sailor Venus said with a frown as she approached Princess Lady and her friends. The five girls looked up from their table in the gazebo in surprise.

"What?" Princess Lady said. "I thought they weren't coming until week after next?"

Super Sailor Venus grimaced, and then looked at her princess apologetically. "I know. Apparently, they were concerned about having to deal with someone new so they came early to get to know you. Or, that's the official story at any rate."

"Hmph. They're probably just trying to rush Lady-chan so that she gives them a bigger trade concession," Sailor Juno said irritably.

"M-hm. Or maybe they're going to try to buddy-buddy her in hopes that she'll give them more," Sailor Ceres added with a shake of her head.

"Well, it won't work," Princess Lady said with a stern expression. "I'm not that big of a pushover."

"We know that," Sailor Vesta said with a laugh as the other senshi shook their heads. "But they don't."

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to steal her ladies. They insist on meeting her as soon as possible," Super Sailor Venus looked at them apologetically once more.

The five girls gave her unhappy looks. "But, it's my break time!" Princess Lady whined. "Can't I meet them in an hour or so?"

"You don't want to start of in the weak position at the negotiation table, now do you?" Super Sailor Venus asked, cocking her head to one side. Princess Lady sighed and shook her head reluctantly. Super Sailor Venus smiled reassuringly at her. "I've told them that you're very busy. Just meet with them, be very gracious, and let them introduce themselves, then excuse yourself and come back to your lunch. I'm sure Celeste-chan will guard it for you that long."

Princess Lady reluctantly returned her smile, then turned to her pink headed friend. "I'm trusting it to you," she said with dancing eyes.

Sailor Ceres bowed her head gracefully and declared her willingness to perform the dangerous task. As she watched her Princess walk away with the leader of the senshi, she felt a twinge of jealousy in her heart. She forced her eyes away, and looked over at her other friends. Their faces were shadowed by the same emotion.

"She's _our_ responsibility. We should be the ones escorting her," Sailor Juno said softly. A moment later, her eyes widened, causing Sailor Ceres to turn back towards the path. At the far end, Super Sailor Venus was watching patiently as Princess Lady ran back towards the gazebo.

"Guys," she said softly when she arrived. "Guys, thank you for being so understanding. I know it's hard for you to let the others take over the primary guard positions." Her friends shifted uneasily, blushing and looking away. All except for Sailor Pallas, that is, who had put on a set of headphones and was listening to something intently with her eyes closed. "I promise I'll speak to Minako-chan," Princess Lady continued. "I'll ask her if at least one of you can share the duties at all times. Maybe a three guard split or something. Just be patient a little longer, okay?"

They nodded to her. "That would help," Sailor Juno said gratefully. "I know they're not treating us like weaklings or trying to take over our duties on purpose, but it almost seems that way sometimes."

Princess Lady nodded back at them, then smiled, grabbed a salmon flavored rice ball with one hand, lifted her long skirt with the other, and turned to run back up the walk towards the waiting senshi. "Be right back!" Quickly, the two disappeared back into the palace.

Sighing, Sailor Juno, Sailor Vesta, and Sailor Ceres considered the lunch in front of them. "And we went to so much effort, too. Ah well, at least it'll keep," Sailor Ceres said in a disappointed voice. Unseen by them, Super Sailor Jupiter crossed the garden, heading for the palace to start her afternoon shift of guarding Princess Lady.

"She'll be back soon," Sailor Vesta said bracingly. "You know how good she can be at weaseling out of tasks she doesn't like as early as possible. Especially when there's food involved." Sailor Juno and Sailor Ceres laughed. "Actually, now that she's gone, I'd like to talk about something."

Super Sailor Jupiter paused beside a rosebush as Sailor Vesta's serious tone caught her ear.

"I was wondering... If you got frozen, what position would you like to be in?" Her friends and inadvertent eavesdropper looked at her in surprise. "I mean, if you were frozen by the enemy while you were protecting Lady-chan. If you could pick your position, what would it be?"

Her audience's surprised expressions changed to ones of consideration. "What brought about such a strange thought?" Sailor Ceres asked curiously.

"It was Saturn... Did you notice how he froze her? She had her Silence Glaive up defensively. She was in the perfect pose to use Silent Wall to protect herself and Lady-chan. I don't know if she did it deliberately or not, but I thought: That's a good idea."

Super Sailor Jupiter gave the red headed senshi of Vesta a look of surprised approval, nodded, and continued to walk thoughtfully but quickly into the palace.

The two remaining senshi blinked in surprise. "That... That's a very good thought," Sailor Ceres said, then turned towards Sailor Pallas. "Pallas-chan. Hey, Pallas! Take those off for a moment and pay attention."

Sailor Pallas blinked her eyes open and looked at her friends curiously. She turned of the player and pushed the headphones down around her neck. "What? What's the matter? Did I miss something important?"

"Yeah," Sailor Vesta said rolling her eyes. "You missed something important. What are you listening to anyway?"

"Recordings of whatever spell that guy is using to steal our friends," she replied unrepentantly. "The linguistic computer hasn't been able to identify the language, so I asked Ami-san to let me have a go at it." She looked down at the player with a frown. "It sounds... very vaguely familiar. As if I heard it a long time ago or something."

All four senshi stared at the player a moment, then Sailor Pallas looked back up at them. "So, what was this important thing that I missed?" she asked curiously.

* * *

Super Sailor Jupiter hurried through the palace towards the main reception hall. "Sorry I'm late!" she called as she spotted Super Sailor Venus and Princess Lady at the edge of the protected private zone. 

Princess Lady turned and gave her an impatient look. "Mako-chan, hurry! I'm starving!"

Super Sailor Jupiter laughed in amusement as they fell into step beside her. "You're always hungry. Just like Usagi-chan." Her princess' indignant expression made her laugh again.

"I am _not_. She always eats way more than I do. I just haven't eaten _anything_ since breakfast, and that was at six o'clock."

"Really? I thought you had a working breakfast with the Central American Union delegation at nine?" Super Sailor Jupiter asked in surprise.

Princess Lady shook her head. "No, that was yesterday. This morning was training, a meeting with Ami-chan, a make-up history session with Pluto, a meeting with Mayor Katsuhito, another meeting with Councilor Kameda, and a last minute conference with Señora Rodriguez regarding yesterday's meeting." She ticked each item off on the fingers of her right hand as she walked.

Her friends looked at her sympathetically. "That sounds like quite a schedule," Super Sailor Jupiter said as they turned the corner and headed down the last hallway.

Princess Lady sighed. "Tomorrow's going to be almost as bad," she whined quietly so that only her friends could hear. "And now the South Africans have shown up early, which will make it even worse!"

"We'll just see about that," Super Sailor Venus muttered. As they reached the door, she caught her companions' eyes. "Don't slow down," she said softly. "Look like you're in a hurry and trying to hide it."

Princess Lady looked at her a moment in surprise, then nodded her understanding. Quickly, the three friends entered the reception hall where the twenty members of the South African delegation waited for their introductions.

* * *

King Necro stared out the door and resisted the urge to pull his hair out. Behind him, Queen Fey hummed an off-key song while she chopped vegetables for soup. Her constant presence over the past three days had stretched his taut nerves almost to the breaking point. As he heard her pour more of the healing tea she had been making him drink, he snapped.

'_No more!_' he thought to himself as he cast the holograph spell. '_I can't take it any more! It's time to get back to work._'

"Checking up on your girlfriend again?" Queen Fey asked in her fake-sweet voice as she came up beside him.

"She is _not_ my girlfriend," he growled, studying the scene in front of him intently. The princess was walking through the public portion of the palace escorted by the blonde and brunette senshi. She appeared to be in a hurry.

"Sure…" she replied knowingly. "Here, drink this before it gets too cold."

He grimaced as he reluctantly accepted the tea. The last time he had refused it, she had proven her reputation for binding and controlling people by forcing it down his throat. He did not care to repeat that painful experience.

He watched the hologram as the princess and her escort entered a room and approached a large group of people. "Hmm… Looks like our little princess is upset about something."

"Really?" Queen Fey asked, turning to look at the hologram as well.

"And she seems to be in something of a hurry," he continued thoughtfully as he studied the group she was meeting looking for power sources. "It's been almost a week. Just long enough for them to start to think that I've been hurt, but not long enough for them to think that I've healed. They're probably beginning to feel a bit complacent."

"Don't count on that," Queen Fey warned, giving him a sharp look.

"Hmph. Of course I won't _count_ on it," he replied irritably, glancing at her. "I'm just saying they may be feeling a little more relaxed. More easily distracted by whatever has the princess upset and has brought such a large group of people to see her."

"More easily surprised?" she asked turning back to the hologram and arching an eyebrow and smiling evilly. "You mean I finally get to meet this great enemy?"

He matched her smile. "Only two protectors with any real power in sight, twenty or so innocents to guard, in a hurry, upset about something… Yes, I think it is about time I introduced you to them."

"Oh goody," was her eager reply.

* * *

Princess Lady smiled politely and shifted her weight slightly as the last of the delegation was introduced. "Welcome to Crystal Tokyo," she said again.

"Thank you again, Princess. Ah, we would like to offer…" the lead delegate, Ms. Johannson, said quietly. A flash of light interrupted her as two figures appeared in the reception hall.

Everyone's eyes widened in surprise, and then Super Sailor Jupiter leapt between the intruders and Princess Lady. She held her arms crossed in front of her chest, and braced herself for an attack. "Jupiter Oak EVOLUTION!" she yelled, throwing the attack at the man she recognized as an enemy.

Simultaneously, Super Sailor Venus triggered the all call on her communicator. "Enemy in the main reception hall!" She turned towards the delegation. "They're not after you. Get out of here!"

"Pff, is that all you have?" the petite, grey haired woman asked mockingly. "Please…" She turned to face the delegates, and pointed at one of the younger men. "Come here," she called enticingly. Slowly, the man began to walk towards her as his friends and comrades watched in surprise. Princess Lady and Super Sailor Venus also watched him, expressions of anger beginning to cloud their faces.

Super Sailor Jupiter glanced his way, but kept her eyes on the male enemy. He shifted, trying to get a clear shot around her, but she held her arms wide and shifted with him. She smiled as she saw the irritated expression on his face.

"Get out of here!" Super Sailor Venus yelled again trying to protect both the princess and the young man.

"This way! Quickly!" Super Sailor Mercury called out as she entered the room. She ran to stand between the group and the enemy. A few of them finally began to scamper for the door.

"Ah-ah-ah..." the woman called out. She reached out a hand towards the ones who had begun to run, causing them to stop. Super Sailor Mercury noticed, however, that as her eyes left the other young delegate, he was able to resist her more.

Quickly, she reacted to this information. "Bubble... SPRAY!" A cloud of fog filled the room. "Hurry!" she called again. "Head for the door!"

"Follow my voice," another person called as Queen Fey growled her displeasure. "Better yet, let's form a chain. Pallas, you anchor it here. Let's go!"

Super Sailor Jupiter peered hard through the fog, trying to find her chosen enemy. She spun to look to her left as she felt someone brush against her. Seeing that it was Princess Lady, she quickly grabbed the girl and forced her to stand behind her. Extending her senses, she felt Super Sailor Venus said to her right and Super Sailor Mercury on the other side of Princess Lady.

"Moon Crisis Power... Make-Up," Princess Lady whispered. After a flash of pink light, she spoke a little louder. "The Princess is out of here and safe. Let's finish this."

"What?" King Necro cried in disbelief. "That's not possible! She can't make it out of my shields!" As Super Sailor Mercury's fog faded, the two invaders found themselves in a room full of senshi. The princess and innocent bystanders were nowhere in sight.

With a guttural sound of complete and utter frustration, King Necro pointed his wand towards his nearest target: Super Sailor Moon. Fear began to claw at her heart as she felt herself freeze. Then, Super Sailor Jupiter jumped in front of her with arms wide open. "Moon, watch out!" she yelled as she moved.

Super Sailor Venus grabbed Super Sailor Moon's right arm and flung her back towards her protectors. Sailor Ceres, Sailor Juno, Sailor Pallas, and Sailor Vesta immediately surrounded her, joined hands, and generated a shield to protect her.

Super Sailor Jupiter found herself unable to move as King Necro began to wave his wand and chant the sounds she was beginning to dread.

"Neptune Towering... TSUNAMI!" "Uranus Mach... WIND!" The two senshi of the Outer System threw their attacks at Queen Fey, forcing her to dodge and frown.

"Venus Golden MELTDOWN!" "Mercury Melodic SPRAY!" The two remaining senshi of the Inner System threw their attacks at King Necro, who ignored them and continued to wave his wand and chant his banishment spell.

Queen Fey stared at Super Sailor Neptune, and then raised her hands. Her opponents blinked in surprise as Super Sailor Neptune's hands rose as well. With a smile of satisfaction, Queen Fey forced Super Sailor Neptune to face Super Sailor Uranus.

"Nooo..." Super Sailor Moon cried. "Join!"

"Pink Lady's Freezing KISS!" the five young senshi called out together. A pink sphere flew from their shield and struck Queen Fey.

She froze for a moment, and then managed to throw the attack off. "Why you..." she growled, turning to face them. Super Sailor Neptune stood still and struggled to free herself from Queen Fey's control.

"World SHAKING!" Queen Fey barely managed to block the attack in time, turning her glare to the Senshi of the Wind.

Meanwhile, Super Sailor Venus and Super Sailor Mercury were trying desperately to break through King Necro's shield. Help came suddenly from an unexpected source.

"Supreme THUNDER!" Super Sailor Jupiter cried. Lightening crackled around her then flew from her wide-open hands towards her enemy. This unexpected move made King Necro falter just a moment, but he immediately caught himself and concentrated on completing his spell.

The room was filled with the energies of various attacks for several minutes, and then a piercing scream rang out. Super Sailor Jupiter struggled fiercely against the freeze spell trying to grab her right arm as the pain ripped through her.

"No... Jupiter!" Super Sailor Moon wailed.

"Everyone together!" Sailor Ceres called out. "Sailor Planet BOMBARDMENT!" The attack flew through the air, dodged over Super Sailor Jupiter, and hit King Necro's shield hard. He blinked in surprise as it went down, and then teleported to one side just in the nick of time.

Released from his freeze spell, Super Sailor Jupiter collapsed to the ground holding her left leg which now had a big gap in it about mid-thigh.

"Venus Golden MELTDOWN!" "Mercury Melodic SPRAY!" "Juno Slashing VINES!" "Vesta Dream BEAST!" "Rainbow Moon HeartACHE!"

King Necro found himself dodging the attacks. He glared at the senshi and tried to freeze another of them, but Vesta's teleporting, flaming horse constantly distracted him. Queen Fey found herself facing Super Sailor Uranus, Super Sailor Neptune, Sailor Ceres, and Sailor Pallas. As she tried to control one, another would distract her. Finally, King Necro gestured with his wand and the two of them disappeared.

After looking around the room a few moments to verify that it wasn't a trick, the senshi quickly gathered around Super Sailor Jupiter. She sat on the floor, sobbing in pain and biting her lips against screams of agony.

"Jupiter! Jupiter!" Super Sailor Moon cried, tears running down her face. Super Sailor Mercury stood off to one side, typing frantically on her computer trying to find a way to break the spell. Super Sailor Neptune stared into her mirror looking for the same answer.

"Sai... Sailor Moon..." Super Sailor Jupiter gasped. "You... You're all… right?"

Super Sailor Moon nodded her head vigorously. "Yes. Yes, I'm just fine. You did it, Mako-chan. You saved me."

Super Sailor Jupiter gave her a grateful smile. "Thank goodness," she gasped, clutching her stomach. "Ves... Vesta... You were right."

Sailor Vesta looked at her in surprise. "I was? About what? Jupiter-san!" she cried as Super Sailor Jupiter faded out completely for a moment.

"Chose... your... position... wisely," Super Sailor Jupiter sobbed. "Defense... or attack... But remember... work... with what... you're given..."

Half of the senshi looked at her in confusion, while the other half looked at her in surprise. Then, with a final pain filled cry, she disappeared from sight.

"Nooo..." Super Sailor Moon sobbed. "Jupiter! Mako-chan come back!"


	15. Chapter 15 A Plan and Dinner

_Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from "CardCaptor Sakura". They are all owned by the ladies of CLAMP who are much more talented than I. (smile) I also do not own anyone from "Sailor Moon". They are all owned by Takeuchi Naoko whose vision will live eternally. (smile) (Much to Elflina's dismay...) All other characters are my own. Feel free to steal them._

_I do not hold chapters ransom for reviews, but I sure appreciate compliments, constructive criticism, and grammatical corrections. So if you feel like it, please press that little review button, and let me know what you think. _

_Hurray! Another first time reviewer! Welcome, Miss Takin. (giggle) Like the name. Thanks for your nice comments. As for the attack names, all the ones you don't recognize from the anime I made up. I don't think I've used any manga attacks yet. I know there are at least two in this story, but they haven't shown up yet. I don't think my new ones are all that creative, but they were the best I came up with when I was creating them._

_And greetings as well to aserene and Taeniaea. (innocent smile) You think it will get more dangerous the fewer senshi there are? (evil grin) Isn't that the point? hahaha... Enjoy this (not so quick) dive back in to the Card Captor world!_

_- Raya_

**Moonlit Sakura**

Chapter 15 – A Plan and Dinner 

"Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo stopped in surprise as she saw her best friend changing her shoes by the lockers.

Standing on one foot and leaning on one hand against the lockers, Sakura turned her head at the sound of Tomoyo's voice. "Good morning, Tomoyo-chan!" she chirped as she finished putting her indoor shoe on.

Wide-eyed, Tomoyo rushed over to Sakura. "Why are you here?" she asked in confusion. "Are… are you feeling better?" Her eyes scanned Sakura's face. As she noted that the circles had almost disappeared and that Sakura's green eyes were bright and alert, she began to relax.

"Mmm," Sakura replied with a smile and a tilt of her head as she put her outdoor shoes in her locker. "I feel great this morning. I had such a wonderful sleep. No dreams or bad feelings… I haven't slept like that in a long time."

"That's great!" Tomoyo smiled as she began to change her shoes. "Shaoran-san will be so relieved. He was really worried last night when you collapsed."

Sakura's smile dimmed as she remembered what had caused her collapse. Then, with a determined shake of her head, she put it to the back of her mind again. "Then let's go find him and let him know I'm okay."

"Sure," Tomoyo replied, smiling at her friend's renewed cheerfulness as she closed her locker. "Let's go."

* * *

After school, Sakura walked home slowly. Memories of the only dream she had had the night before began to resurface in her mind. As she walked by the park, she stopped and looked through the trees towards the cliff. An older memory began to replace the images of a hallway of pictures.

'_So... Is that girl who looks just like me a Clow Card, too?' Sakura asked nervously._

_'That would be a strong possibility,' Kero replied studying the Clow Card pattern in front of her. 'Turn all of these over,' he commanded. Slowly, Sakura turned over the three Cards lying in front of her. 'Illusion, Watery, Shadow… A Card related to these three... And looking exactly like Sakura..." he mused._

Sakura jerked and blinked rapidly, focusing once again on the park in front of her. With a thoughtful look, she turned and continued her walk home. '_Do I dare? The Cards have changed so much… They've become so powerful… Can I scry them safely?_'

* * *

"I'm home!" she cried cheerfully as she walked through the front door. She removed her shoes, and looked curiously around the quiet house. Softly, she walked up the stairs to her room.

"I'm home!" she called again as she opened her bedroom door. She smiled as she heard the roaring engine and music from Kero's video game.

"Welcome... home..." he responded, gyrating with the keypad in front of the TV as he drove his race car through a desert course. "How'd... things go... t'day?"

"Pretty good," she said as she laid her book bag on her desk. "Except for that test in calculus," she added with a grimace as she turned towards her closet. "Forgot about that," she added softly.

"Mmmm..." Kero responded absently as he tried to dodge an oasis and a runaway camel. They both got lost in their own thoughts as she changed out of her school uniform.

After putting on a pair of tawny brown shorts and a long sleeved green and white striped shirt, she walked over to her desk and picked up the Sakura Book. She looked at it seriously as she mulled over the plan that had come to her on the way home.

"Arrrgghhhh!" Kero yelled in frustration, making her jump and look over at him. "No! How c'n he do it? How c'n he possibly get a faster time on that course!" He glared at the TV a moment angrily, and then sat down by the controller to pout.

"Maybe he's found a shortcut?" she asked helpfully as she pulled out her desk chair and sat down.

Kero growled. "I've looked for a shortcut through there. There ain't one! So how on earth c'n he shave almost 5 seconds off of my best time!"

"Maybe he hits the camels then? Or the caravan masters? Or drives through the sand storms?"

Kero shook his head at each of her suggestions. "Camels take off 50 points 'n' two seconds. The caravan masters are worse 'n that, and the sandstorms will kill ya! I've tried all that." He turned to glare at his score's second place position on the TV screen.

Sakura shrugged, and turned back to the Sakura Book. Cautiously, she opened it. She froze as she saw the Card on top. Reluctantly, she reached out and removed the Erase/Silent. As she held it and studied it a moment, a puzzled expression appeared on her face. Gently, she put the Card down on the desk. She removed Light/Dark, Power/Earthy, and Dream/Firey and laid them beside it.

"Illusion," she said quietly as she looked at the next Card in line. Her thoughts went back to the earlier memory.

"Eh? Illusion?" Kero asked jerking around to face her. Excitement suddenly lit his eyes. "Yeah! That could be it! Some of those oasi and camels could be illusions! But which ones..." He turned and picked up his controller.

"Kero-chan, wait a moment. I have a question," Sakura said hurriedly. He paused and looked at her curiously. "Do you think... Can we use the Cards to try and figure out what's going on?" she asked tentatively.

"What... Use the remainin' Cards t' do a readin' on the ones that've changed?" he asked. As she nodded, he looked at the Sakura Book thoughtfully. "I s'ppose... But it might be dangerous."

"Mmm...," Sakura nodded. "I was thinking of asking Yukito-san and Shaoran-kun to help. Just in case something happens."

Kero nodded, still holding on to his controller. "It's a shame that Eriol went back t' England already. He coulda been a lotta help, too."

"Yeah," Sakura sighed as she looked down at the Book.

"Ah well," Kero said, turning back to his game. "Why don' you go give that snow-rabbit a call?" His eyes lit up maniacally. "I got a score to beat. Go!"

Sakura shook her head with a smile as she set the Sakura Book down on her desk and pulled out her cell phone to make a couple of calls.

* * *

"Mmm... That was wonderful, Sakura-chan," Yukito said as he sat back from the dining table. "I've never had Indian food before. Where did you learn to make it?"

"Yeah, this is great!" Kero seconded shoveling more curry into his mouth.

Sakura smiled at the compliments and began to clean off the table. Shaoran snatched the bowl of potato curry away before she could pick it up, and helped himself to another serving. With a small smile, he handed her the empty bowl. She blushed as she accepted it.

"Well, Koeda-sensei did a series on international foods in our Home Economics class last year. I liked this dish, so I make it for dinner every now and then. We also learned how to make Indian tea. Do you believe it? They put milk in it as well as spices!" she said as she worked.

"Really? Milk in tea? That sounds really odd," Yukito said, standing up to help her.

"It's not too bad, actually, if you do it right," Shaoran said as he finished off his second helping of curry, rice, and nan. Kero nodded his bulging face in agreement.

"Hu-e? You've had Indian tea before?" Sakura asked curiously as she stood by the sink and began to run the wash water.

Shaoran made a negative sound as he shook his head. He stood and took his dishes over to the counter. "No, but I have had English tea. They put milk in theirs, too. And sugar. But, they don't usually have spices in it. Here," he said easing her to one side. "You cooked. The least we can do is clean up."

"But..." she said, blushing in embarrassment. "But, you're guests..."

Yukito smiled as he picked up a towel. "No, we're family. That means we help out with the chores, too."

"Hey, don' stop 'em!" Kero called after swallowing his last bite. "It's nice t' see Yue helpin' out f'r a change, even if it _is_ his snow-rabbit form."

"Kero-chan!" Sakura scolded as Yukito arched an eyebrow. Smiling slightly, he held the towel out to Kero. "Since you're done," he said archly, "you can dry."

"I'll do it!" Sakura called out, trying to grab the towel.

"No, you cooked," Yukito said as he rapidly moved the towel out of her reach. "Besides, it's his turn, isn't it?"

"Yeah,... well..." Sakura said uncertainly.

"You just go sit down and let us take care of this," Shaoran commanded from the sink with a stern look. Reluctantly, Sakura walked back to the table and sat in her chair. Kero grumbled, but took the towel from Yukito who promptly got out the broom and began to sweep the floor.

She sat watched them uncomfortably for a few minutes, then got up and walked over to the stove. She dug around in the cabinet for a few moments while the men watched her curiously. "Ah, there they are!" she said happily as she found the tea leaves and spices she had purchased after that long ago class.

Quickly she got out a pot, and walked over to the sink. Shaoran and Kero began to look intensely interested in the dishes, but moved out of her way. She filled the pot with water, then walked back to the stove and put it on to boil. By the time the dishes were done and put away, she had a pot of spiced, sweet, milky tea ready to serve.

With a smile, she poured the tea into several cups. As she put the pot back on the stove, Yukito began to move the cups to the table. Shaoran grabbed the pot and washed it quickly as Sakura took out a plate and filled it with cookies.

Kero stared at the cookies greedily until Shaoran bumped him gently. When he turned to glare at the Chinese boy, Shaoran merely tilted his head towards the pot and began to rinse out the wash cloth. "Hrmph," Kero said softly, but obediently dried the pot and put it away. Sakura smiled secretively at the interaction, and reached into the cabinet for the ice cream bowls.

Minutes later, the four of them were sitting at the table again sniffing the wonderful aroma of Indian tea and eating the cookies and ice cream.

"Hey, Sakura," Kero called out as he took a big scoop of ice cream out of his bowl. "Who's that cup for? Is y'r father comin' home soon?"

Sakura shook her head as she looked at the clock. She smiled as she heard the doorbell ring. "No..." She stood up and walked out to answer the door as the men stared after her curiously.

"I thought she wanted to work some magic tonight," Shaoran said in confusion. A moment later, he groaned as Tomoyo came into the dining room carrying her camcorder. "I should have known."

Tomoyo just smiled at him as she sat down at the table. "Of course. If Sakura-chan is going to be working magic, I _have_ to record it," she said sweetly.

"Um, where _is_ Sakura-chan?" Yukito asked curiously. Shaoran looked at her suspiciously while Kero helped himself to more ice cream.

"Changing, of course," she said. Shaoran slumped as his suspicions were confirmed. "You have to wear special clothes for special occasions," she added with another smile. "Mmm... This smells good! What is it?"

"Indian tea," Yukito answered. "Sakura-chan just made it. I'm not sure what's in it, but it does smell good." He lifted his cup and took a sip. "Tastes good, too," he said in a surprised tone. "But be careful..."

Shaoran quickly put his cup back on the table and pressed both hands to his mouth frantically.

"It's still really hot..." Yukito finished softly.

"Shaoran-kun! Are you all right?" Sakura asked as she rushed into the room. Kero and Yukito stared at her wide-eyed, while Tomoyo smiled with satisfaction and grabbed her video camera. Shaoran just took a few shallow, careful breaths and nodded.

"Are you sure?" she asked again as she scooped up some of his ice cream and offered it to him. He blushed and took the spoon away from her quickly. "Yeah, I'm all right," he said hoarsely.

"Really?" Sakura asked again softly, staring at him with wide emerald green eyes. He looked up at her, and then smiled softly. "Really. It was just a little hot. I'm fine now," he said reassuringly.

He blinked as he finally saw her outfit. "That's... an interesting outfit," he said slowly.

Sakura blushed and backed up a little bit. "Do you like it?" she asked uncertainly. "Tomoyo-chan made it, of course. She insisted that I wear it tonight."

Everyone studied her a few moments as she shifted from foot to foot in embarrassment. Lacy black netting made up the long sleeves and close, simple neckline. At the top of her breasts, the black netting joined the black material of the bodice, which clung tightly to her gentle curves. A golden yellow beaded flower pattern was scattered across the fabric. At the waist, the black fabric opened like flower petals over a puffy, golden yellow skirt. More lacy black netting peaked out at the waist and at the knee-length hemline. She wore white lacy stockings, which showed off the gold and black dress to perfection. At her throat was a simple black ribbon with a golden flower. Her Key lay outside the dress making a bright splash of pink against the black background.

"Sha- Shaoran-kun?" she asked again, lifting one hand up to play with her key.

"It... It's nice," he said blinking and trying to pull himself together. "Kind of... elegant in a way."

"Yes," said Tomoyo with evident pleasure. "That's what I was trying to go for. Elegant, but pretty and feminine and attractive." She sighed happily. "Sakura-chan... You look so wonderful!"

Sakura slowly relaxed, and walked over to her chair. "It _is_ pretty... I just wasn't sure if it was... too much," she said as she carefully sat down.

"No," Yukito said reassuringly as he reached for a cookie. "It was just a shock seeing you in it. We've gotten so used to seeing you in regular clothes we'd almost forgotten how creative Tomoyo-chan can be."

"Smooooth," Kero muttered softly, earning a rebuking glare from his fellow guardian.

"So, um, Sakura-chan," Yukito continued. "Tomoyo-chan was wondering what was in this tea."

"Oh, did it come out okay?" Sakura asked curiously as she picked up her cup. She took a deep breath of its spicy, steamy fragrance then took a cautious sip. "Mmm... A little heavy on the cloves, I think," she said reflectively.

She blinked then looked back at her friends. "Oh. Sorry. It has green tea, black tea, cardamom, ginger, clove, a touch of vanilla, a touch of cinnamon, milk and honey."

"It tastes wonderful," Tomoyo said, taking a sip before nibbling on a cookie.

"Yeah, it goes really well with ice cream," Kero said enthusiastically, making everyone else laugh.


	16. Chapter 16 Questions and Answers

_Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from "CardCaptor Sakura". They are all owned by the ladies of CLAMP who are much more talented than I. (smile) I also do not own anyone from "Sailor Moon". They are all owned by Takeuchi Naoko whose vision will live eternally. (smile) (Much to Elflina's dismay...) All other characters are my own. Feel free to steal them._

_I do not hold chapters ransom for reviews, but I sure appreciate compliments, constructive criticism, and grammatical corrections. So if you feel like it, please press that little review button, and let me know what you think. _

_Hello to my three reviewers Taeniaea, aserene, and Miss Takin. (smile) Hope this was fast enough for you, hahaha... (wink) Now what kind of fun could I have if I didn't put them in danger, ne, aserene? I'm glad someone likes my new attacks... Haha, I have typical writer insecurity. When I read someone else's work, I think "Why didn't I think of something like that!" I'm even tempted to write and ask if I can borrow one or two. Later, that is. I don't need them just yet. (smile)_

_Rejoice, CardCaptor fans! Finally a little action on their part! More is coming, I promise. It will just take a while, so please be patient... And now, A Plan and Dinner, Part II: The Reading. Oh, wait, I named it something else... Hahaha, enjoy minna! _

_- Raya_

**Moonlit Sakura**

Chapter 16 – Questions and Answers 

King Endymion peered through the mist in front of him, then swatted at a passing cloud in frustration. The figure in front of him was the strange, regal woman, not his beloved Serenity.

"Where _is_ she?" he growled, clenching his fists. "She feels so close! Why can't I find her!"

* * *

Sakura sighed a little nervously as she set the Sakura Book in the middle of the coffee table. As Yukito, Shaoran, Kero, and Tomoyo took their places around her, she opened the book and peered at the top card: Erase/Silent.

"Hu-e…. I wish Eriol-kun were here, too…" she said longingly. Tomoyo cocked her head a little, then smiled, put her camcorder on the table, and rose. Her friends ignored her as she walked out into the foyer to retrieve her bag.

"Eh? Why? What do you need him for?" Shaoran asked a little belligerently.

Sakura blinked at him in surprise. "Why? Because he knows so much about the Cards," she said in a puzzled tone. "He created them, after all. Maybe he would know what is going on, or how to protect them, or…"

Shaoran gave her a reassuring look as he shook his head. "They're _Sakura_ Cards now, not Clow Cards," he said. "You know them much better than he does."

"Yeah, but…" Sakura replied uncertainly. Tomoyo walked back into the room and put her bag on the floor.

"I think Sakura's right," Kero said, glaring at Shaoran. "If nothin' else, he's the most experienced sorcerer we know." Shaoran bristled and opened his mouth to respond.

"Have you tried calling him, Sakura-chan?" Yukito interrupted, trying to prevent another argument between the two antagonists.

"Mm-hmm. He said he doesn't remember anything like this happening before. He was going to do some more investigation and get back with me. Um, Tomoyo-chan? What are you doing?"

Tomoyo smiled at her puzzled friend. "This is a laptop my mother gave me for my birthday last year," she said as she finished running the plug to a nearby outlet. She walked back over to the coffee table, opened the computer, and began to power it up. "It has a digital satellite modem and web-conferencing capabilities. I thought I'd just see if Eriol-san is on-line and available." She looked at Sakura's blank face a moment, and then chuckled. "I'm going to use this to call Eriol-san and see if he can join us," she translated.

"Oh," Sakura said with sudden understanding. Her eyes lit up. "You can do that? Oh, that would be wonderful."

"I am not so sure that will work," Yue said, frowning. Sakura jumped in surprise, and turned to face her newly transformed guardian. "He'll still be too far away to feel the magic," he continued.

"Let's just try, shall we?" Tomoyo asked with a sweet smile.

"Oh," Sakura said sitting up straight, then slouching down. "But he'll be in school, won't he? It's still daytime in England..."

Tomoyo just gave her another smile and continued to type. A little pensively, Sakura began to remove the Cards from the Book. She laid Erase/Silent, Light/Dark, Power/Earthy, and Dream/Firey in the middle of the table, then began to play with the remaining Cards.

Meanwhile, Shaoran placed a bowl in the middle of the table. In it, he put a small incense charcoal and lit it while Kero, Yue, and Sakura watched curiously.

"Ah..." Tomoyo said with happy satisfaction. "There we go. Can you hear us, Eriol-san?"

"Quite well, Tomoyo-san, thank you." As Eriol's voice floated out of the computer, Kero, Yue, Sakura, and Shaoran turned to look at in surprise. On the screen, Eriol sat in front of some sort of tree. He was wearing a school uniform, and smiling his amused smile. "Greetings, everyone. And how are all of my long lost relatives doing today?"

"Eriol-kun!" Sakura exclaimed happily. "But... Shouldn't you be in school?"

Eriol chuckled, and held up a sandwich for the group to see. "Even in England we get some time off for lunch," he said sounding amused. "But if you will pardon me, I will continue eating. We do not get very long, and I would hate to miss any of the delicious lunch that Ruby Moon went to so much effort to prepare."

"Mmmm… Speakin' of food…" Kero said. He floated up and out of the room as everyone looked at him in surprise.

"We just finished a delicious, big meal topped off with cookies and ice cream, and he's still hungry?" Shaoran asked in amazement. Sakura just hung her head and shook it helplessly.

"That's Cerberus for you," Eriol replied with a smile.

Shaoran turned back to face the computer. "So… Sakura said that you were investigating this… problem. Have you found anything yet?" he asked civilly as Eriol raised his sandwich to his face.

Eriol's face became serious as he lowered the sandwich again. "No. Nothing at all. I have had Spinel and Kaho helping me with the research, but so far we have not found anything similar to this. I do not remember anything like this happening in my past life, so we are looking at similar creations. The Cards are unique, but Clow got the idea from Tarot cards and such. And then, there are the mini-Cards like you use, Shaoran. We have not found any reports yet, but we will keep looking. Have any of the other cards changed?"

"Mmm…" Sakura said, shifting uneasily. "Erase has merged with Silent," she said softly gazing at the new Card sadly.

Eriol's eyes widened. "Erase and Silent? And the result…"

"Death," Shaoran replied as Sakura continued to look silently at the new Card.

"But not a scary Death," Sakura said abruptly. Her friends looked at her in surprise. Kero came close to dropping his load of candy as he heard this statement, but managed to float the rest of the way to the table with it. Sakura looked up at them and blinked.

"It's not," she insisted. "It feels… almost warm…" She waved her arms around, trying to think of another word to describe the way the Card felt to her.

Tomoyo cocked her head to the side. "Like…a natural death? A welcome end to a long, full life?" she asked tentatively with sad eyes.

Sakura looked over at her in surprise, and nodded. "Yeah, something like that. It's powerful, but not freezing cold or evil. It doesn't want to go around killing people. It just… ends life."

"That's the way it was for my uncle," Tomoyo said quietly, answering the silent question in her friends' eyes. "He had been ready for so long, and when it finally came he went happily." Everyone was quiet for a moment, uncertain what to say. Then, Tomoyo smiled softly. "It's okay," she reassured them. "It happened six months ago, around Christmas. I just remember how happy he was when the pain finally stopped and he knew that the end was near."

"So…" Eriol said, finally breaking the silence. "We have Moon, Earth, Fire, and Death…" He stopped as he saw Sakura shaking her head.

"No, it's Moon, Sun, Fire, and Death," she corrected.

"Sun?" he asked uncertainly. "I thought you said Light had covered Dark, and this Card is Power over Earthy."

The group in Tomoeda nodded. "It is," Yue said. "But, the Card feels like the Sun," Kero added with a serious look towards the Card in question.

Sakura was also looking at the Cards again. "Purity, Life, War, Destruction…" she said absently to herself.

"Eh?" her friends asked, turning to look at her. She blinked a little in surprise and confusion. "That just came to me…"

"Hmm…" Shaoran and Kero turned to glare at the Cards.

"Um, I am sorry, but is there anything else you wanted from me?" Eriol asked, looking at his watch. "Lunch time is almost over."

"Um, well, I was going to try to use the remaining Cards to do a reading on these four," Sakura replied. "I had kind of hoped you could watch?"

Eriol looked again at his watch and frowned. Then, he closed his eyes a moment in thought. "I would hate to miss Calculus," he said tentatively, "but maybe I can come up with a good excuse for being late."

Sakura and Shaoran gave him a look of disbelief, and then smiled. "Thank you, Eriol-kun," Sakura said. After a pause, she continued. "So…"

She stopped again as Shaoran reached out and placed a bit of bark on the incense coal he had started. "Hu-e, Shaoran-kun… What _is_ that?" She watched curiously as a thin tendril of smoke began to rise and drift out of the bowl. She sniffed experimentally then took a deeper inhale. "It smells familiar…"

"Yeah," Kero said, sniffing also.

"It's..." Shaoran started, but was interrupted by Yue.

"Star Anise bark," the silver haired guardian said looking at the bowl in surprise. "It is used to enhance psychic awareness and for meditation." He turned a curious somber eye towards his mistress' love. "Are you sure that is a good idea? These Cards are already pretty powerful, and Mistress Sakura is already very sensitive to them. Enhancing her psychic awareness may cause her to black out again."

Shaoran met his gaze steadily, and nodded. "I know. I considered that. But this will also help to enhance our awareness as well. We may be able to catch something this time."

"If nothing else, it will help me relax," Sakura added as she took another deep breath. She closed her eyes and smiled. "It reminds me of temples and festivals and such."

"A-hem…" Eriol coughed, looking again at his watch.

"Oh yeah. Sorry Eriol-kun," Sakura said opening her eyes and giving her distant friend an apologetic look. Quickly she began to shuffle the unchanged Cards. As she took a deep, meditative breath, her shuffling slowed down. Finally, she began to place the cards on the table in a simple cross and shield pattern.

"Okay..." she breathed quietly. "Cards of Sakura... answer my question. What is happening to your friends?" Slowly, she opened her eyes and reached for the Card at the left side of the cross. "Change."

"Well we _know_ that," Kero said impatiently. "Two Cards mergin' and becomin' one... That's a big change!"

Sakura slowly shook her head. "No... Not just that... Remember... Remember when we were chasing Change? It made you and Shaoran-kun switch bodies."

"Does that mean that someone or something has switched places with the Cards?" Shaoran asked in confusion. "Or that the Cards are switching places with each other? Or..."

Sakura shook her head. "That's all I'm getting. Just the memory of the two of you swapping bodies." She focused on the Cards again. "Who caused this?" She flipped over the Card at the top of the cross. Yue and Shaoran took a deep breath as Shot was revealed. Carefully, Sakura held it up for Eriol to see.

As she held the Card, she heard that chilling laughter from her dreams once again. Shivering, she quickly put Shot back on the table.

"Sakura-chan?" Tomoyo asked, eye pressed against the viewfinder of her camera as she recorded the scene.

"A laugh. A terrible, cold, evil laugh that I hear in my dreams," Sakura said shakily. A flash of memory made her gasp. "A man. A tall man in his mid-twenties, I think. He has spiky orange hair and a scary black wand that gives off black light."

Kero, Yue, and Shaoran nodded as they made a mental note of the description. "Does not sound familiar," Eriol said, looking at her intently. "Did you get a name? What was he wearing?"

Sakura shook her head. "No, no name. And he's wearing..." Her face creased in puzzlement. "He's wearing a suit. Like a business suit. It's black with some sort of pattern on it, but I can't make it out."

"Hmm... Not a Classicist then. They prefer to wear robes. Maybe a Neo, since he still patterns his clothing and uses a wand. I will pass the description on to Spinel and Kaho. Perhaps it might help," Eriol replied.

Sakura stared at him blankly a moment before responding. "Okay. Thank you." She looked at the Cards again. "How is he doing this?" she asked, and reached for the card on the right side of the cross. "Through," she said as she flipped the Card over.

Her friends looked at her expectantly. After a few moments, she shook her head. "All I can see is the crystal hallway from my dreams and the mist surrounding it. I don't understand," she added sadly looking at the Card.

"Don't worry, Sakura-chan," Tomoyo said encouragingly. "I'm sure you will figure it out."

Sakura nodded then gave her best friend a small smile. She looked back down at the Cards and asked her next question. "How can I stop him?"

She reached for the Card at the bottom of the cross and flipped it over. "Shield," she read, and then blinked uncertainly. "Protect the Cards... Ah..."

"What? What did you see?" Kero cried, flying over to hover near his mistress' face.

"That dream... I _did_ dream last night. That evil man was in it. And a girl. No... A princess. A princess with long pink hair and a white dress." She paused a moment, trying to interpret the feelings that the Card was sending to her. "We have to protect the Cards and the Princess," she said finally.

"But, who is the Princess?" Shaoran asked studying her face intently.

Sakura shook her head. "I don't know." She looked down at the Cards. "Who is the Princess?" she reached for the Card in the middle of the cross. As she flipped it over, she realized that two Cards were stuck together. "Eh? Twin... and Hope." She stared at the two Cards a moment, and then shook her head again. "All I can see is a big, full moon."

"How does it make you feel?" Yue asked quietly.

"Happy... and hopeful," she replied, blinking. Carefully, she put the two Cards back in the middle of the cross. "Only two Cards left," she said.

"How are you feeling?" Eriol asked, studying her with concerned violet eyes.

She looked up at him and smiled. "I'm okay. Not too tired yet." She turned her focus back to the Cards. "How can I change the Cards back?" Slowly, she reached for the top card of the shield. "Time," she read as she flipped it over. As she felt the message from the Time Card, she sighed. "Only time will tell, he says. They aren't too sure either."

"Well, they can't know everything," Shaoran said comfortingly. "At least now we know that they don't know either."

Still looking disappointed, Sakura nodded then turned to ask her final question. "How can I help your friends now?"

The Card at the bottom of the shield trembled slightly, waiting eagerly to be turned over and acknowledged. "Windy."

A breeze blew across the room, and Windy assumed her bodily form. With an intent look, she gestured towards the changed Cards. They floated up from the table and began to glow cherry pink.

Suddenly, Moon flashed and began to glow silvery white. Sakura gasped as Sun quickly turned and, glowing bright gold, flew across the small gap which divided it from Moon. The two Cards joined face to face, almost as if they were embracing. Fire (glowing red) and Death (glowing purple) quickly pressed themselves against the other side of Moon, as if to form two wings. The four Cards twirled as one for a long moment then slowly broke apart. As Sakura and her friends watched in amazement, Sun, Fire, and Death began to twirl and spin around Moon, close enough that they touched more often than not.

Suddenly, the Cards began to tremble. Sakura gasped then shook her head holding out her hands protectively over them. A flash of emerald green light blinded them a moment. "Noooooo," Sakura wailed.

When the light died down, all of the Cards lay scattered across the table. Moon, Sun, Fire, and Death lay in the center near Shaoran's incense bowl. On the other side of the bowl, another Card lay face down. Crying, Sakura tentatively reached for it. Fearfully, reluctantly, she turned it over.

"What? What happened? What is it?" Eriol called, unable to see what the others saw.

Slowly, Sakura raised her tear-filled eyes to his image on the laptop. "Another Card... has changed," she choked. She held up the new Card for him to see. "Shield has merged... with Wood."


	17. Chapter 17 Arrivals and a Departure

_Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from "CardCaptor Sakura". They are all owned by the ladies of CLAMP who are much more talented than I. (smile) I also do not own anyone from "Sailor Moon". They are all owned by Takeuchi Naoko whose vision will live eternally. (smile) (Much to Elflina's dismay...) All other characters are my own. Feel free to steal them._

_I do not hold chapters ransom for reviews, but I sure appreciate compliments, constructive criticism, and grammatical corrections. So if you feel like it, please press that little review button, and let me know what you think. _

_Since this one is so short and so closely related... A double shot for you! Enjoy! - Raya_

**Moonlit Sakura**

Chapter 17 – Arrivals and a Departure

King Endymion took a deep breath, and tried to calm himself once more. He frowned impatiently at the little inner voice that reminded him that he'd never find her otherwise.

* * *

Super Sailor Mars sat quietly in the mists stretching her senses as far as she could. She jerked a little in surprise as she realized that she could sense Super Sailor Saturn, also. Unfortunately, all of her friends seemed to be moving unexpectedly at odd times. She drew more deeply on her patience as she tried to guess where Serenity would be next.

* * *

Super Sailor Saturn peered into the endless mist with narrowed eyes and tightened her hand on her Silence Glaive. "Where is she?"

* * *

Suddenly, a brisk energetic wind began to blow through the four micro-verses. The pink mists began to glow more brightly. As she felt the sudden change, Serenity jerked upright and gasped.

"Endymion! Guys!" she called in a relieved voice. As she saw a golden glow in front of her, she rose to her feet and threw herself into her husband's arms. "Mamo-chan! Endymion!"

"Serenity! At last…" King Endymion murmured as he clasped his love tightly to his body.

"Serenity! Endymion-sama!" Super Sailor Mars breathed in surprise. Quickly she stood up and ran over to hug her dearest friend.

"Serenity-sama!" Super Sailor Saturn called in relief. She, too, quickly ran over to the embracing couple and joined in what had become a group hug. Erase and Silent watched the reunion quietly, and then looked around as they became aware of the other, still sleeping, Cards.

Slowly, the group pulled apart. As they began to trade stories, they alternated between touching Serenity reassuringly on the shoulder and wiping away her happy tears. Finally, Super Sailor Mars made a teasing, impatient sound.

"Come on, enough already, Usagi," she said with a smile to show she was teasing. "I know you're a crybaby, but really!"

Still giddy with relief, Serenity stuck her tongue out at her friend. "You're crying, too, Rei-chan!" she exclaimed. "You stop first!"

Super Sailor Mars opened her mouth to respond, and then froze. Her eyes widened in shock. "It can't be… Look out!" she whispered, then yelled. She threw herself protectively at Serenity as the mist began to roil and shake. The four friends screamed in fear and surprise. King Endymion instinctively drew Serenity back into his arms as the four of them fell down to the misty ground.

As the world settled back down once more, they slowly pushed themselves back up into sitting positions. "What… what happened?" Super Sailor Saturn asked, shaken.

"It just does that occasionally," Serenity replied, turning to check on the twins she had found. As usual, they had slept through the tremor unharmed.

Super Sailor Mars shook her head. "Two times before, right?" Serenity nodded absently and then gave her a puzzled look. Super Sailor Mars returned her look seriously. "It must do that every time one of us arrives here," she continued. "First you, but you wouldn't have felt it then. Then, Endymion-sama and I. The third time would have been when Saturn arrived. That must have been what woke me up."

Her three friends looked at her in thoughtful surprise. "Then… who?" Super Sailor Saturn asked quietly, stretching out her psychic senses and looking around.

"Jupiter," Super Sailor Mars replied quietly.

Serenity nodded, and closed her eyes to concentrate. "Mako-chan?" she whispered. Her eyes flew open again. "That way," she said, pointing off into the mist.

* * *

A young man with platinum blonde hair sat quietly in the Toronto airport and studied the antiquated moving sidewalk in front of him. He grimaced a little as he recognized the sound of a group of teenage girls coming up beside him. As usual, their high-pitched, nervous giggling irritated him.

'_Why now? Maybe they won't stop,_' he thought to himself irritably. Deep in his mind, he wondered at the irritation that had begun to plague him since the woman began crying in his dreams. '_Please, just don't…_'

"Um, excuse me," one of the girls asked in heavily accented English. Reluctantly, he looked up. The speaker was an attractive, black haired girl dressed in low riding jeans and a red tank top. She and her three friends appeared to be about 18 years old.

"Excuse me," she continued as her three brunette friends giggled nervously around her. "We were wondering, are you from around here? We are visitors, and we're a little lost."

"I'm sorry," he replied in Brazilian Portuguese trying to throw them off. "I'm not from around here either." His heart sank as their faces lit up.

"Oh, are you from Brazil?" the girl asked in the same language. "We're from Rio. We are on our way to France to study modeling. Where are you from?"

"Montreal…" he replied reluctantly.

"Rising Sun Airlines Flight 101 bound for Crystal Tokyo now boarding at gate I-23," an automated voice called out over the public address system in English. "All ticketed and confirmed passengers should make their way to the gate immediately for boarding and an on-time departure. Once again, Rising Sun Airlines announces that Flight 101, service to Crystal Tokyo, is now boarding at gate I-23." The message repeated in French and Japanese.

Quickly, he gathered his book and carry-on bag. "That's my flight," he told the disappointed girls as he rose, and began to walk towards the gate. "There's a map over that way. Good luck with your career," he called over his shoulder with all the politeness his father had drilled into him as he waved his right arm towards a nearby panel. The irritation subsided with every step he took until he was once again calm.

When he arrived at his gate, he stepped to the back of the line and waited for his turn to board. Once again, his attention began to wander. This time, he was studying the airplane outside the window. A loud throat-clearing noise brought him abruptly back to his surroundings. With an embarrassed flush on his face, he hurried to catch up with the line in front of him.

He stopped in front of the boarding kiosk and handed the attendant his passport card. She smiled as she scanned it and handed it back to him. "Welcome aboard, Monsieur Ensoleillé. I hope you have a pleasant flight."

The young man smiled back at her, and nodded as he took his passport card back. "Thank you," he said quietly. "I'm sure it will be quite nice."

As he stepped into the jetway, his dark, wine-colored eyes narrowed and became more focused behind his wire-rimmed glasses. '_Hold on, my lady… I am coming…_' he thought towards the distant aching heart that had disturbed his peace once again.


	18. Chapter 18 Cold Metal

_Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from "CardCaptor Sakura". They are all owned by the ladies of CLAMP who are much more talented than I. (smile) I also do not own anyone from "Sailor Moon". They are all owned by Takeuchi Naoko whose vision will live eternally. (smile) (Much to Elflina's dismay...) All other characters are my own. Feel free to steal them._

_I do not hold chapters ransom for reviews, but I sure appreciate compliments, constructive criticism, and grammatical corrections. So if you feel like it, please press that little review button, and let me know what you think. _

_Hello to my faithful Taeniaea and aserene. (smile) Serenity's not scared anymore... She's finally got her Mamo-chan back. The world is right once more, hahaha. And hello once more to Miss Takin. Whew! Lucky I checked my e-mail, or you would've had to wait until next week to have been recognized, hahaha... I'm glad you liked the Card reading. I worked pretty hard on that scene. And, yes, I went back and forth about whether to give Jupiter Shield or Thunder, but... She IS the Senshi of Protection, so Shield it just had to be. For all you wondering, that's why I chose the combination that I did. Haha, wait until you see the NEXT one. It drove me nuts!_

_Enjoy, everyone! - Raya_

**Moonlit Sakura**

Chapter 18 - Cold Metal

Pallas closed her eyes and leaned her face against the aviary window. Briefly, she contemplated banging her head a few times for good measure. She sighed as she dismissed the idea. '_It would probably set a bad example for the birds, and definitely give me a headache without jarring anything important loose_,' she thought wryly to herself. '_And just my luck, it'd break the window, too._"

"Pallas-chan?" Lady called looking at her friend in surprise.

Pallas blinked her eyes open, and then spun around to face her friend with a wide smile. The smile became natural as she saw that Lady was dressed casually in a pink short-sleeved sweater and a white miniskirt with big silver star-shaped medallions down the left side. In the distance, visible but out of hearing range, were Super Sailor Mercury and Super Sailor Venus.

"Hi, Lady-chan! No meetings this morning?" she called, startling a pair of crows above her. She winced and looked up into the maple apologetically as they cawed and flapped across the aviary.

"They must've forgotten you were there," Lady said as she laughed at Pallas' expression. "Which means… You must've been there quite a while," she concluded, giving her friend a serious look.

Pallas debated with herself a moment. On the one hand, Lady was already under a lot of pressure and strain, and Pallas didn't want to add to her burden. On the other hand, Lady sometimes had really good suggestions that helped a person get around a problem. It didn't always sound that way at first and sometimes the problems were settled in an unusual or completely unexpected manner, but they usually worked out for the best.

Lady watched her friend a moment, and then grinned. "Come on, you want to tell me," she teased as she walked over to sit on a nearby bench. "You can add it to your grand experiment."

"Huh? What grand experiment?" Pallas asked in confusion as she moved to sit on the bench. Out of habit, she smoothed her light blue capris under her as she sat, and then smoothed her white tee shirt.

Lady giggled. "Your experiment to prove that I instinctively use psychic abilities to find answers to problems. Why do you do that?" she asked curiously

Pallas looked at her blankly. "Do what?"

"Brush your pants under you then smooth your shirt. You do that almost every time you sit down."

Pallas flushed a little. "Oh. I do? That must be a holdover from home. Mother always told me to make sure my clothes stayed straight when I sat down so they didn't wrinkle."

"Hey, it's all right," Lady said reassuringly. "I was just curious. You do it often, but I never thought to ask you why before. Now, what's got you looking so frustrated?"

Pallas gave her a half smile as she sighed. "Oh, nothing much. I'm just not as much help to Ami-san as I'd hoped to be," she said, casting a quick glance at Super Sailor Mercury who was typing away on her mini-computer. Beside her, Super Sailor Venus surveyed the aviary vigilantly. "She gave me a copy of the spell or incantation that the enemy is using because the computer couldn't figure out what language it was in." Pallas frowned in frustration as she fingered the headphones around her neck. "It's so frustrating! It sounds vaguely familiar, but I can't put my finger on why or where I would've heard something like that before."

"Hmmm…" Lady said looking down at the ground in front of them. A few minutes later, she looked up at her friend who was waiting expectantly and smiled. "Looks like this is one for the failure column," she said. "I don't know how to help." As she looked at Pallas' frustrated, disappointed face, she continued. "But you know? I will say one thing. I think you're trying too hard. I know I do that sometimes. Like on a test. I know I know the answer, but the harder I try to think about it, the further away the answer goes. Ami-chan told me once that it's just a matter of relaxing and letting it come, but I find that hard to do. So, I try to think about something else." She tugged on one of her pink ponytails and laughed self-consciously. "That doesn't always work, though. Usually I end up daydreaming and forgetting all about my test until it's almost too late."

Pallas laughed at her friend's expression. "Right. Blame it on the test. You just enjoy daydreaming and you know it," she teased.

Lady turned and stuck her tongue out at her. "Hey, I'm trying to help here!" she said in mock hurt anger.

Pallas laughed a bit more then took a deep breath. "Thanks, Lady-chan. Actually, thinking about tests and distractions gives me an idea. Maybe if I go look through some of my old language dictionaries and such, something will jar loose."

Lady blinked at her, and then smiled. "So I did help? Cool! Good luck!"

Super Sailor Venus smiled as she saw Pallas duck and look up at the scolding birds. "It's all right," she told Super Sailor Mercury who had stopped typing and looked up alertly. "Pallas-chan just startled some birds." Super Sailor Mercury relaxed and looked back down at her computer with a smile.

Super Sailor Venus looked up at the birds, who had settled nearby still cawing, and smiled again. "Why, I do believe it's Phobos and Deimos. Oh, she'll be in for it now," Super Sailor Venus chuckled as she began to survey the aviary again. "They'll be after her brushes and paints for sure the next time she pulls them out."

Beside her, Super Sailor Mercury laughed softly. "She really ought to offer to do a portrait of them. That would smooth their feathers."

Super Sailor Venus nodded. "Yeah, appeal to their vanity. Although, that might actually make things worse the way she paints. Maybe she should offer to let _June_ do a portrait of them."

Super Sailor Mercury chuckled again. "That's true. Poor Pallas. She likes to draw and paint, but she's just not good at it. Even Celeste is better at it than she is."

Super Sailor Venus smiled at that comment, still looking around the aviary. "I think she's determined to beat this 'flaw' one way or another. Speaking of advisers, vanity, and determination, what's the latest from Luna, Artemis, and Diana?"

"The traces in Egypt have finally dispersed. Artemis and Diana have poured over every piece of ancient Egyptian writing they can find without any success. Since there's nothing more they can analyze or do there, they're coming home," Super Sailor Mercury replied glancing over at her friend who nodded.

"No pink cards, huh?" Super Sailor Venus asked absently. "Well, it'll be good to have them home. I never said this, but I'm actually missing that little white talking fur ball. And Luna knows so much more about royal protocol and such. I hope they get back soon."

"Mmm…" Super Sailor Mercury nodded, smiling at her friend's admission. Suddenly, she paused. "No pink cards? What pink cards?"

Super Sailor Venus looked at her in surprise. "The pink cards. The ones Rei-chan told us about before she…"

Super Sailor Mercury shook her head, then reached out and grabbed her leader's arm. "_What pink cards_? Rei-chan said something about pink cards? What? What did she say?"

Startled baby blue eyes met intense sapphire blue ones. "You don't know?" Super Sailor Venus said softly. "Just before she disappeared… Rei-chan said 'A girl with pink cards.' That was all. Her final words…"

Super Sailor Mercury looked at her a moment more, then sighed and released her arm. "No, I must have missed that." She turned back to her minicomputer and typed in the new information. "I wonder what she saw… The person behind this? The person who has the answers we need?"

As the two guardian senshi were distracted, King Necro and Queen Fey suddenly appeared in the aviary on the path between the senshi and their princess. With a triumphant grin, King Necro raised his wand and aimed it at the two unsuspecting teenagers on the bench.

"LADY!" Super Sailor Venus screamed, rushing forward. Queen Fey smiled evilly as she reached out and took control of the golden senshi's body.

Lady and Pallas turned to see what the commotion was about, and found themselves frozen by King Necro's spell.

"Lady-chan!" Super Sailor Mercury cried, pressing the all-call button on her communicator. "Mercury Bubbles BLAST!"

Instantly, the aviary was filled with a thick, dense fog. Only one section remained unaffected: a long corridor between King Necro and the younger senshi. "Why you little…" Queen Fey called in frustration.

Pallas struggled frantically to move. '_Lady! I've got to protect Lady-chan! Noooo… Lady-chan!_'

Lady stared with wide-eyed fear into the icy black eyes of her enemy. "Now you're mine, Princess," he sneered triumphantly.

A moment later, he cried out in surprise as he was dive-bombed by two furious, screeching crows. He instinctively ducked and raised one arm over his head even though the birds could not get through his shield. The open corridor in the fog disappeared as his concentration was broken.

Pallas threw herself at Lady, knocking the princess to the ground. "Run, Princess!" she yelled. "Head for the hidden door! Pallas Power… Make-UP!"

Lady stared at her friend a moment in surprise. '_Hidden door? What hidden door? Idiot! She means hide so you can transform!_' She hit her hand on a pointed odango in frustrated realization, and then quickly squeezed between the maple and the glass side of the aviary as the fog began to dissipate. She reached up and climbed onto the lower branch of the tree, trying desperately to climb without making any noise.

Behind Super Sailor Venus and Super Sailor Mercury, all of the remaining senshi except Super Sailor Pluto raced into the aviary.

"Lady-chan! Where's the Princess?" Sailor Vesta cried as she saw Sailor Pallas.

"Gone. Safe. Sailor Moon will be with her by now," Sailor Pallas said with a triumphant smile towards the enemy. King Necro curled his lip and raised his wand angrily, only to be attacked by Phobos and Deimos once more. Growling, he glared up at them, and then flicked his wand in their direction. They tumbled out of control across the room and slammed into the glass wall by the maple tree.

"Phobos! Deimos!" Sailor Pallas cried, running over to the dazed and winded birds.

Up in the tree, Lady raised a hand to her mouth to stifle her cry. Her eyes hardened as she dropped her hand back to her side. '_Time to move, then transform and take care of that creep_,' she thought to herself angrily.

"Leave them alone!" Super Sailor Mercury called, stepping towards the enemy as they turned towards Pallas.

Queen Fey threw an irritated glance over her shoulder at the Senshi of Wisdom. King Necro just smiled grimly and raised his wand.

Pallas whimpered softly as she felt herself freeze again. Glancing out of the corner of her eye, she saw that Phobos and Deimos were beginning to move feebly and breathed a sigh of relief.

"That's ENOUGH!" a young voice called out loudly.

King Necro jerked, losing his concentration yet again. Furiously, he turned to find the source of the latest interruption. Queen Fey watched him warily out of the corner of her eye.

Super Sailor Moon slowly walked around the side of a tall cedar tree and posed, glaring at the enemy with hot, dark pink eyes. "Leave them alone," she said evenly. Her friends and protectors stared at her in shock and terror as she deliberately made herself vulnerable. "You've taken enough of my friends. You can't have any more. I am the pretty sailor-suited soldier of hope and justice, Sailor Moon! In the name of the Moon, I will punish you!"

"Sailor Moon!" Sailor Juno, Sailor Vesta, and Sailor Ceres cried as they started to run forward.

King Necro just snorted, and then used his wand to throw Super Sailor Moon into the racing senshi. She screamed in surprise as she flew threw the air, and crashed into her friends.

"If you're here, that means the Princess is unguarded," he said with a sneer. "I'll just trace her down and she'll be gone before you can stop me!"

Super Sailor Moon shook her head as she rose shakily to her knees. "The Princess is in the protected part of the Palace. No-one can get her in there," she said as she watched Sailor Pallas run around the enemy to join her friends.

King Necro's sneer crumpled into a furious glare as he raised his wand yet again.

"Necro! Not them," Queen Fey said calmly eying the senshi. "You're letting your hatred distract you. I can help you get over that, but…"

King Necro paused, clenching his wand so tightly his knuckles turned white. "But?" he asked icily.

"You have to get rid of _my_ chosen target," she replied with a small, evil smile.

For a long moment, he instinctively resisted her control. The senshi used the time to regroup and reorganize. Before they could call out any attacks, however, he suddenly spun and pointed his wand at Super Sailor Mercury.

"NO!" Super Sailor Venus screamed as he began chanting his spell.

Sailor Vesta summoned a giant, flaming crow using her Dream Beast attack, but this time, he did not flinch. Super Sailor Neptune, Super Sailor Uranus, and Sailor Juno all threw attacks at Queen Fey, but she ignored them as they bounced off of the newly rebuilt shield.

Recognizing the last words of the spell, Super Sailor Venus threw herself in front of her immobilized friend. As she felt the spell slam into her, she saw a flash of white out of the corner of her eye. She quickly forgot about it as she began to scream in agonizing pain, her voice blending with another's.

"Sailor Planet BOMBARDMENT!" the younger senshi yelled in unison, their voices blending with the screams.

Queen Fey blinked in shock as she felt the shield go down. Before they could react, she and King Necro were flung across the aviary and into the glass wall. Around them, the birds screeched in fear and anger.

"Neptune Towering TSUNAMI!" "Uranus Mach WIND!" the two outer senshi yelled, seeing their chance. Desperately, the two enemies dodged the attacks.

"Ve.. Venus… Cr.. Crescent… SHOWER!" Super Sailor Venus struggled to yell. She straightened her body momentarily to point at the enemy, but as the attack left her, she collapsed with another scream of pain. Her blanketing attack, however, hit the enemy several times before they disappeared.

"Venus! VENUS!" The senshi cried as they raced to their fallen leader. Super Sailor Mercury slowly gathered her and a familiar white bundle of fur into her arms.

"NOOOOOO…" an unexpected voice wailed. "Venus! ARTEMIS!"

All of the senshi, except Super Sailor Mercury, turned in surprise at the sound of that familiar voice. Diana and Luna raced across the aviary, eyes fixed on the two fallen comrades.

"Ar… Artemis?" Super Sailor Venus whimpered as she painfully raised her arms to reach for the unresponsive cat. "I.. Is that you?"

"No!" Luna wailed again in agony as she saw her mate disappear. "ARTEMIS!" Super Sailor Moon snatched her up as she tried to leap past, and then held her tightly as she struggled to follow him.

Super Sailor Venus whimpered. "Artemis!" Legs, arms, and stomach gone, she slowly turned to her friends. "Don't worry,… Luna," she gasped out through tears of pain. "I'll find him… And I'll protect him for you… Artemis and Usagi-chan and everyone…"

"Why!" Super Sailor Mercury wailed unexpectedly, tears rushing down her face. "Why, Minako-chan!"

Super Sailor Venus turned her face up towards her crying friend. "Because… you're the best chance we have,… Ami…" she whispered as she disappeared from view.

Sailor Pallas and Sailor Ceres slowly walked over to the sobbing Super Sailor Mercury, and then knelt beside her to hold and comfort her.

Super Sailor Moon squeezed the wailing, struggling Luna tightly as she sobbed and cried for yet another lost friend. Sailor Juno put an arm around her trying to be supportive, as Sailor Vesta scooped up Diana and held her tight. No one saw Super Sailor Uranus and Super Sailor Neptune exchange hard glances.

As they turned and quietly left the room, Super Sailor Neptune pulled out her Aqua Mirror.


	19. Chapter 19 A Glassy Sea

_Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from "CardCaptor Sakura". They are all owned by the ladies of CLAMP who are much more talented than I. (smile) I also do not own anyone from "Sailor Moon". They are all owned by Takeuchi Naoko whose vision will live eternally. (smile) (Much to Elflina's dismay...) All other characters are my own. Feel free to steal them._

_I do not hold chapters ransom for reviews, but I sure appreciate compliments, constructive criticism, and grammatical corrections. So if you feel like it, please press that little review button, and let me know what you think. _

_Speaking of reviews, hello to Taeniaea and Miss Takin! Haha, you get to see my Card choice for Venus... Now! (smile) If anyone has a better combination (that isn't already used), let me know and I'll take it into consideration. The bad guys appearance was abrupt, hmm? Happens that way sometimes? (grin) And if you can't figure out why Artemis disappeared with Venus but Luna is still around, you will have to wait until chapter... 24 it looks like... to find out. (smile)_

_UraNep fans rejoice! Let me know what you think of this chapter. Enjoy, everyone! - Raya_

**Moonlit Sakura**

Chapter 19 – A Glassy Sea

Sakura closed her eyes and took a deep, appreciative breath of the sakura scented air. With a smile, she re-opened her eyes, and popped the lid off of her boxed lunch.

"What a perfect day!" Chiharu exclaimed happily. "Warm, sunny, with a light breeze… Perfect for a Flower Viewing lunch!"

Her friends all smiled and nodded in agreement as they opened their various lunches. "I still can't believe that Hama-sensei was able to get the principle to agree to this," Rika said as she lifted a rice ball up to her mouth.

"Yeah," Naoko agreed. "It was sneaky of her to disguise it as a trip to a botanical garden." She smiled. "We should be grateful she talked him into it, though. Maybe we should get her something?"

"Mmm.. How about a stuffed animal?" Chiharu asked with a bright smile. "I saw the cu-u-utest giraffe at Twin Bells the other day." Her friends laughed at this typical suggestion. "What?" she said pretending to be hurt. "I think it's a great idea."

"How about some roses?" Tomoyo asked softly. "Hama-sensei really likes them, and it's something that everyone can give towards."

"Yeah! That's a great idea," Sakura said happily. "We can get her the flowers _and_ the giraffe." She looked around at her friends as they burst into laughter. "What? Chiharu-chan was right. It's a really cute giraffe…"

"Speaking of giraffes," Yamazaki said as he suddenly appeared behind Chiharu. "Did you know that the reason they have brown patches on their golden skin is because…" He choked off suddenly as Chiharu stuffed a rice ball into his mouth.

"Yeah, yeah…" she said, dusting off her hands. "You told me in the store…" She smiled around at her friends. "And, trust me, you don't want to hear it. It's not one of his better attempts," she said as they looked at her curiously.

A short while later, the group finished lunch and separated to find a subject to draw. Sakura wandered through the unfamiliar garden lost in thought. The Cards had been quiet since Shield had merged with Wood a week ago. The new Cards were more active and seemed to hover around each other, but they still would not respond to her or Kero or Yue.

Her worries were forgotten for a moment as she broke through a stand of trees. A beautiful pond surrounded by sakura and apple trees met her astonished eyes. In the middle of the pond on a small island surrounded by water lilies was a frail looking gazebo. "How beautiful…" she whispered staring around in awe. She drifted over to a nearby tree, sat down, and pulled out her art supplies. With a smile, she took a deep breath of the floral scented air.

"Mmm... Apple, sakura, rose, spearmint... I must be near the herb garden. Hu-e? What's that scent?" she asked looking around curiously. She spotted a small clump of dark maroon, blue, and purple flowers nearby. She got up and walked over to the clump, then bent down and inhaled its spicy-sweet scent. "Mmmm…"

She looked at the clump for a few more moments fighting the temptation to pick one. Then her face lit up. "Ah! That's it!" She rushed over to her bag and pulled out the Sakura Book. "Flower!" A moment later, she tucked a small spray of dark maroon, blue, and purple sweet peas into her hair above her ear, put the Sakura Book back in her book bag, and then sat back down to begin her assignment.

As she was getting ready to start drawing, she felt the familiar sinking/rushing feeling that signaled the change of another Card. A bright light shone out of her book bag for a moment, then all returned to normal. With sad, worried eyes, she reached into her bag, drew out the Sakura Book, and opened it.

Slowly she flipped through the Cards until she found the new one. Fight covered Glow. Sakura's face grew puzzled as she noticed the small white cat hiding behind Fight. "Hu-e... That's odd," she said. "They've never _added_ pictures before..." She studied it a few more moments, and then slowly tucked it back into the Book near the Moon Card. As she did so, she wondered why it seemed like Fight was protecting the little cat.

* * *

Super Sailor Neptune caught her partner's hard silver eyes, and then pointed towards the jungle on their left with her Aqua Mirror. Super Sailor Uranus nodded her white head and led the way quietly into the hot, humid undergrowth. A short while later, she held up one gloved hand. Super Sailor Neptune immediately stopped, peering around intently. 

Instinctively, the two senshi jumped to the side. As Super Sailor Uranus landed in a nearby gum tree and Super Sailor Neptune came to rest by a giant coffee bush, the ground where they had been standing collapsed. The two partners looked around, trying to find their enemy.

"That's pretty good," they heard King Necro say with a sneer in his voice. "You not only managed to find my vacation home, you avoided one of my little welcoming presents. But can you avoid the rest?"

The tree Super Sailor Uranus was in began to shake wildly. Flailing her arms, she lost her balance and fell. Quickly, she curled herself into a ball, rolled out of the fall, and rose gracefully to her feet, ready to defend herself. King Necro just laughed.

Super Sailor Neptune jerked as she felt something slide across her ankle. With wide eyes, she jumped back away from the snake that had crawled out of the bush. As she landed, she felt her ankle twist under her. Quickly, she looked down, and jumped just in time to avoid the bite of another snake. Looking around, she saw that snakes of all sorts surrounded her.

"Neptune," Super Sailor Uranus called out uncertainly.

Her partner shook her dark aqua head, and raised her mirror. Her tight grip on the mirror's handle was the only outward indication of her stomach churning fear. "Do you think you can scare me off with a few illusionary snakes?" she asked tauntingly.

She turned the Aqua Mirror away from her and slowly turned in a circle. In front of her, the snakes began to disappear. "No illusion can stand up to my Mirror," she continued haughtily. She paused as she heard Queen Fey's amused laugh.

"Ah, but that's the beauty of illusionary attacks," the woman said in her fake sweet voice. Super Sailor Neptune screamed as she felt the fangs of a real snake sink into the flesh of her left calf. "No-one ever thinks that you've hidden a real one in with all the illusions," she continued, then laughed again.

"Neptune!" Super Sailor Uranus cried, drawing her Space Sword out of its hiding place. With a quick leap and a swift blow, she decapitated the snake then slung her blade around through the remaining snakes. Twice more, she cut through live ones, and then the illusion disappeared.

Super Sailor Neptune had collapsed to the ground clutching her leg with one gloved hand. With the other, she still held the Aqua Mirror up looking for the next attack. Her tear filled eyes widened yet again as she saw the log hurtling through the air. With no time to shout a warning, she rolled herself into Super Sailor Uranus to knock her down. The log brushed her partner's short white hair as it swept past.

Super Sailor Uranus lay on her back a moment, and then quickly rose to her feet again. Her hard eyes scanned the trees as her hand gripped her sword. Suddenly, she leapt up into the canopy again, disappearing from view.

Super Sailor Neptune looked into her mirror once more, ignoring the burning pain that was creeping up her leg. She gasped as she felt the familiar sensation of loosing control of herself. It forced her to stand up. Raising her left hand up to the handle of the mirror, she gripped it tightly in both hands, and made her body to turn towards the source of the feeling. Immediately, it waned.

She closed her eyes and concentrated intently on her mirror. "Neptune Aqua CHARYBDIS!" she yelled. Out of the Aqua Mirror, an aqua colored stream of energy emerged. With a swirling motion, it sped forward, dodging the trees and bushes. Suddenly, it stopped then began to pull back towards the mirror. Caught in its glittering swirl, Queen Fey struggled to free herself. Slowly it drug her out of her hiding place to a point three meters in front of Super Sailor Neptune, who looked at her with cold teal blue eyes.

The swirling energy stopped pulling on the silver-haired enemy. It began to swirl around her instead, spiraling towards the ground. Suddenly, it fountained up, catching Queen Fey in a thick wall of swirling water. She choked and screamed in fear as she spun around the towering whirlpool.

Super Sailor Neptune heard King Necro yell angrily and felt herself freeze. His spell had no effect on her attack, however, and Queen Fey continued to choke and drown in the swirling whirlpool. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him emerge from the trees, pointing his wand at her. He began to chant furiously.

Slowly, the energy drain of the attack began to catch up with her. She closed her eyes as she cut the link between the Aqua Mirror and the standing whirlpool. Immediately, the water disappeared. Queen Fey crashed to the ground, and lay there unmoving.

Super Sailor Neptune felt herself collapse. Surprised, she opened her eyes and saw Super Sailor Uranus standing between her and the remaining enemy. She had her sword turned so that the edge faced him. '_Ah..._,' the Senshi of the Oceans thought groggily. '_She's using the blade to cut the spell..._'

King Necro's expression turned from one of concentration to one of confusion as he realized his spell was not reaching either of his targets. As Super Sailor Uranus saw this, she smiled tightly. She shifted with him as he tried to edge around for a better angle.

Finally, he stopped and studied her with narrowed eyes. "Interesting. A blade that can cut anything? Why don't we test that?" With a smile, he gestured with his wand. A boulder appeared out of nowhere and flung itself at her. Remembering her wounded partner behind her, she stood her ground and let the sword split the rock. King Necro just smiled wider and gestured again.

Pebbles, rocks, glass, limbs, and vines flew at her from various directions. Moving with incredible speed, the Senshi of the Wind blocked them all. She spun in surprise, however, as Super Sailor Neptune cried out in pain. Behind her, unseen, a creature of rock roughly shaped like a man had picked up her exhausted friend.

King Necro quickly began to chant and wave again. Super Sailor Uranus hesitated, uncertain whether to attack the monster or block the spell.

Suddenly, Super Sailor Neptune called out "Deep Submerge!" She threw the attack directly into the monster's face. With a garbled cry it released her and fell back, then broke into tiny pieces. She landed on her good leg, and then slowly sank back down to the ground alert for more attacks. With an appreciative smile, Super Sailor Uranus turned back to face King Necro.

Before she could complete her turn, however, he froze her with his paralyzation spell. She growled in frustration as she realized she was just a few degrees off and couldn't move. Hearing her, he smiled evilly and continued to chant.

"Uranus?" she heard Super Sailor Neptune call softly. Grinding her teeth, she focused all her will on moving to no avail. With a final shout, King Necro finished his spell, and grinned at them. "It was a nice fight, but I win," he called across the clearing. "Thank you for getting rid of Fey for me. She was beginning to be a nuisance," he added.

Super Sailor Uranus looked over at the body of the silver haired woman, eyes narrowing as she remembered the towering whirlpool Super Sailor Neptune had summoned. Then, a sudden, tearing pain in her side distracted her. She cried out in pain and clutched it, staggering.

A moment later, she realized she could move. As Super Sailor Neptune cried out behind her, she gripped her Space Sword in both hands and turned to face her enemy. Holding it low, she crouched down, and, ignoring the sudden pain in her foot, leapt up high into the sky. "Uranus Space VACUUM!" she yelled, drawing the sword up away from the ground and higher into the air.

King Necro clutched his throat suddenly as the air around him swirled up into the sky creating a vacuum where he stood.

Super Sailor Uranus landed again, and then collapsed as her foot and the bottom half of her right leg disappeared. She held her sword up in the air as long as she could, but the pain finally made her lower it. When the sword touched the earth again, the vacuum broke, and King Necro collapsed unconscious to the ground.

Super Sailor Uranus smiled with satisfaction as she saw this through her tears of pain. Slowly, she turned to face Super Sailor Neptune who had half disappeared. Super Sailor Neptune gave her a small smile, and nodded. She nodded back.

Suddenly, Super Sailor Neptune reached out. "Uranus!"

Super Sailor Uranus caught her hand. "I'm here," she called back as Super Sailor Neptune's arm disappeared, leaving only the hand that Super Sailor Uranus gripped. "I'll be right beside you. I'll always be..." her voice faded out as she disappeared from her world.

"Right beside you." Super Sailor Neptune finished for her as she, too, disappeared.

Slowly, the normal early evening sounds returned to the jungle. A cluster of shadowed figures appeared under the gum tree. They looked cautiously about.

"It appears to be clear," one of them said in a soft tenor voice.

"Just to be sure..." another one replied in a soft alto as she turned and gestured to a third figure. The figure bowed then gestured widely with its arms. A soft, blanketing fog filled the clearing.

Slowly, the five figures left their hiding place and walked towards the still bodies of Queen Fey and King Necro.

"They're still alive," the fourth figure whispered in a grateful soprano voice.

"Mmm..." the last one replied in his lower tenor voice crouching near King Necro. "Necro's been hit pretty hard, but I think he'll recover."

"Fey's not doing too good," the soprano said, worry entering her voice. The other figures quickly gathered around her.

"We'll have to take her with us," one of the men said looking at the woman with the alto voice.

"It'll be dangerous..." she replied with quiet consideration. "But we can't just leave her. King Necro?"

"He should be able to recover on his own. It looks like he didn't get hit quite as hard. Besides," the man replied sounding a little uncertain, "I don't know if we can transport both of them and still hide our movements."

The woman nodded slowly. "Then, let's go before we are caught."

"Are you sure he'll be all right?" the soprano asked anxiously looking in the direction of the downed man.

"I'm pretty sure. He's a bit bruised and exhausted, but otherwise he seems to be all right," the man replied in a reassuring voice.

"We can't take him, too, without using up too much power," the alto said gently. "If we can manage it, you can come back and check on him later. For now, we must go."

Slowly, the soprano nodded. The taller man gently picked up Queen Fey. The other figures surrounded him, and then the group vanished from the clearing.

* * *

Sakura closed her sketchbook with a sigh. '_Well, I tried_,' she thought to herself. '_I'm not very good at sketching. Hmm... I wonder if I can make a Card for that._' She smiled at that though as she packed her art supplies back into her bag. 

Standing, she stretched for a long moment, and looked at the gazebo out in the middle of the pond. 'I wonder...'

"Hi, Sakura-chan!"

She smiled as she turned to face Tomoyo. "Hi, Tomoyo-chan! Did you finish your project?"

Tomoyo nodded as she looked around at the lake and the gazebo. "Yes. I found a nice section in the formal garden with a lot of color. I think it came out okay. This is a very pretty spot. Is this what you drew?"

Sakura nodded with a small grimace. "Yeah, but I don't think I did it justice. Hey, I was thinking of finding the path out to that gazebo," she added as she picked up her book bag. "Want to come with me?"

"Sure," Tomoyo said with a smile.

A few minutes later, the two friends were standing in the gazebo admiring the view and the scent of the water lilies around them. Sakura laughed as a breeze blew some sakura petals into the gazebo. Suddenly, she stiffened and looked down towards her bag.

Tomoyo gasped and leapt to catch her as she fell unconscious to the ground. The sweet pea bouquet fell out of her hair to lay beside her as Tomoyo flashed a glance towards her book bag then began to call her name.

"Sakura-chan? Sakura-chan. Sakura-chan!"


	20. Chapter 20 The Pain of Separation

_Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from "CardCaptor Sakura". They are all owned by the ladies of CLAMP who are much more talented than I. (smile) I also do not own anyone from "Sailor Moon". They are all owned by Takeuchi Naoko whose vision will live eternally. (smile) (Much to Elflina's dismay...) All other characters are my own. Feel free to steal them._

_I do not hold chapters ransom for reviews, but I sure appreciate compliments, constructive criticism, and grammatical corrections. So if you feel like it, please press that little review button, and let me know what you think. _

_A big hello to Taeniaea and aserene! (smile) Yes, not only are they loyal, they are stubborn. I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Time to break out the tissues and to get the barest glimpse of some of Mercury's past... - Raya_

**Moonlit Sakura**

Chapter 20 - The Pain of Separation

In a tall eastern spire of the Crystal Palace, a quiet figure huddled on a bed in a dark room. The early morning sun tried to send its rays into the room, but was blocked by a dark blue curtain.

Ami sat with her back to the wall at the head of her bed, not noticing the brightening light. She buried her head in the pillow in her lap, wrapped her arms under her thighs, and squeezed herself into a small ball of misery. A few moments later, though, her body's instinctive need to breathe forced her to relax her arms and turn her aching head to the side.

'_I'm all alone_,' she thought for what felt like the hundredth time. She felt a distant, dull surprise when this time the thought didn't bring a wave of sobs and tears. '_I'm all alone. Again. I never, ever wanted to be alone again. Why?_'

She closed her swollen, bloodshot eyes as she remembered the scene from the previous morning. The sound of the enemy's voice chanting her doom. The inability to move. Super Sailor Venus jumping in front of her at the last second to take the brunt of the spell.

_"Why!" Super Sailor Mercury wailed unexpectedly, tears rushing down her face. "Why, Minako-chan!"_

_Super Sailor Venus turned her face up towards her crying friend. "Because… you're the best chance we have,… Ami..." she whispered as she disappeared from view._

She tightened her arms and opened her eyes again as the pain shot through her once more. "Minako-chan… Rei-chan… Mako-chan…," she whispered in a congested, aching voice. Then, her longing joined the pain as she whispered even more softly. "Usagi…"

'_I can't do it,_' she thought desperately. '_I can't. Not by myself. I'm not strong enough. Guys… Guys, help! Come back! Please don't leave me alone again…_'

* * *

Luna slowly became aware of a gentle hand rubbing her fur from her head to the base of her tail. As she smelled Serenity's perfume around her, she felt a strange sense of relief. Too groggy to make sense out of it, she snuggled down into the soft lap and began to purr.

A few moments later, she realized that something was not quite right. Her whiskers twitched as she tried to figure out what it was without opening her strangely sore eyes. After a few breaths, she realized that Pallas, Bessa, Phobos, and Deimos were in the room as well.

Her curiosity overcame her pain and exhaustion. As she slowly opened her eyes, she realized that the lap and the hand didn't belong to Serenity.

"Luna," she heard Bessa say softly. Disturbed and afraid of something that she couldn't remember, Luna lifted her head and peered around the room.

Pallas sat in the guest chair by the window, giving her a look of sympathy. She looked pale and exhausted. In her lap, cradled on a cushion, Phobos and Deimos lay unconscious. As Luna continued to look around, she realized that Bessa was the one holding and stroking her.

"Serenity?" she called in a wavering voice. "Usagi-chan? Where are you?"

At this plaintive cry, Bessa's hand paused mid-stroke. "Luna…" she said again, her voice full of sadness and sympathy.

Trying desperately to ignore her, Luna stood up in her lap and looked around the room again. "Usagi-chan? Usagi! Arte…" Her voice trailed off as she remembered the horrible truth. Both Usagi and Artemis were gone. She shook her head slowly, struggling to breathe.

Gently, Bessa gathered her up to her chest, and held her close. "Noooooo…," the little black cat wailed once again.

* * *

At the Doors of Time, Super Sailor Pluto shifted uneasily. Suddenly, she stiffened. "Uranus… Neptune…" she whispered in shock as her hand clenched on the Time Staff. Tears slowly filled her garnet colored eyes as she felt her comrades' presence fade away.

* * *

Gently cradling Diana in her arms, Princess Lady slowly walked down the hall flanked by Sailor Ceres and Sailor Juno. She paused outside of her mother's door, and debated going in. Slowly, she shook her head.

"Lady-chan?" Sailor Ceres asked questioningly.

"I was thinking Diana might like to stay here, but… I can't just leave her." Gently, she reached up and stroked the sleeping grey cat's small head. "She needs me right now." She paused, and then continued tentatively. "I could use Luna's advice, too… This morning is the first formal meeting with the South African delegation."

She raised her hand from Diana's head and rubbed a tired, dark pink eye. As she lowered her hand again, she looked at her friends solemnly. "I've never handled a delegation all by myself before. Mama and Papa always did it, and since they… left… Minako-chan was always there."

Sailor Ceres nodded her head in understanding. "Minako-san… was filling in for Luna, wasn't she?" she asked with a slight break in her voice.

Princess Lady nodded. "Luna has been Mama's chief adviser for more than a millennium. She's probably forgotten more about protocol and such than we will ever know. But after yesterday…"

Sailor Ceres and Sailor Juno nodded looking a little pensive. Suddenly, Sailor Juno raised her head. "You're right. After all that's happened, she needs some time. Don't worry, Lady-chan. You can do it. You handled the Central American delegation just fine. This can't be much different." She smiled. "And if you make a few mistakes, well… Ami-san is always saying that's how you learn."

Princess Lady smiled at her friend. "Yeah, but I hate making mistakes. Oh well. You're right. I can do it." The three friends nodded simultaneously then continued to walk down the hall with renewed determination.

* * *

Slowly, Ami's eyes drifted shut. She fell into an exhausted slumber with a soft sigh.

In her dreams, she walked once again through the cold, misty woods of Transylvania. With a frown, she looked at her computer, which was giving her a funny readout. As she tapped a few keys, she felt her heart tighten in fear at what would come next.

"What have we here?" a silky male voice asked with restrained eagerness.

"A lovely little treat," another male voice responded happily. "Mmm... She looks delicious..."

Super Sailor Mercury paused and peered around bravely. "Who's out there?" she called.

The voices just laughed. "Oh, we won't make it that easy," the first voice said tauntingly. "If you find us, you can ask us another question."

With a determined look, she tapped away at her computer. As the minutes passed, their snickers got louder.

She jumped and spun around as she felt an icy finger trace up the back of her neck. "Is that all you have?" a new voice asked from the emptiness. "What a pity... You'll never find us that way..."

"Never... Never..." the other voices echoed.

"Where... Where is ChibiUsa-chan?" she demanded, typing once again on the computer.

The voices paused, and then laughed again. "Ah-ah... No questions until you find us," the first voice admonished. She felt something cold and vine-like shove into her back, pushing her to her knees. "But we tire of playing... You'd better hurry."

For several more minutes, she typed at her computer frantically trying to find any trace of her adversaries or the kidnapped toddler. The invisible enemy continued to caress and shove her around, trying to distract her. Desperately, she longed to call for help, but she knew that her friends were too far away searching other likely places for the little hostage.

She fought off the panic and fear of what was to come, and finally closed the computer. Trembling, she looked around once more.

"Oh, so she's giving up..." the second voice said eagerly. "So delicious..."

"No," Super Sailor Mercury replied, forcing herself to close her eyes. "I'm not giving up. I'll never give up. I'll find you. And her." She winced as she felt the first cut along her arm. Ignoring the pain and the seeping chill, she concentrated on calming herself and finding the enemy.

Another voice, one she feared and despised, joined the taunters. "And now you're mine," Phantom said triumphantly.

She felt her soul spiral into the past. Before she could relive the lonely, cold, distorted memories he had once shown her, however, a bright sparkle appeared before her.

'_Ami-chan!_' She opened her eyes wide in shock as she heard Usagi's voice call her. '_Ami-chan!_' Usagi's voice called again encouragingly.

In the center of the bright light floated a silver necklace with a little charm on it. Slowly, she reached out to touch it. "Usagi-chan?" she whispered uncertainly.

'_Remember, Ami-chan? It's a promise._'

Around Ami, the cold, misty forest was replaced by another memory. Once again, she stood in the courtyard at Hikawa Shine with all of her friends. Each of them looked at the charm that Usagi had handed them.

"Sixteenth notes?" Ami asked in confusion staring at the little silver run of notes. "Musical notes remind you of me?" She looked at her thin, pale, exhausted friend who smiled back at her. "Oh, because of Aqua Rhapsody..."

Usagi shook her head negatively at Ami's guess. "They're called grace notes," she said. "They make pretty songs prettier. They seem fragile, because they don't really stand alone, but..." The gathered senshi looked at her expectantly. "But, they are notes, right? So they can make a melody all of their own. Just like you, Ami-chan. You seem fragile. And after that… encounter… with Phantom in Transylvania, you believe it yourself. But you're not. You can stand alone, like those grace notes. You are strong."

Ami studied the little charm once more as Usagi explained the other charms she had given out to her friends. Desperately, she tried to believe her friend was right. Even more desperately, she struggled with the knowledge that she would have to fight this upcoming battle alone. Finally, Usagi's voice got quiet. Slowly, Ami looked up at her friend.

"It's time, isn't it?" Makoto asked quietly. Rei and Usagi nodded reluctantly. Makoto nodded back then clenched her hand around the little silver swan that Usagi had given her. "I swear, this planet will never fall. I'll protect it, no matter what. And we will get ChibiUsa-chan back. No, we will get our Small Lady back, safe and sound, and we will protect her, too." she vowed fiercely.

Her friends looked at her in surprise, and then clenched their own charms. "It's a promise," Ami said, strengthening her resolve and holding her fist out to Usagi. "An oath." All of the senshi copied her gesture, and spoke as one. "We will protect this planet, our Queen, King Endymion-sama, and Small Lady, no matter what."

"Guys..." Usagi whispered, deeply moved by their determination. Then, she nodded. "Yes. Even if we are alone, we are together, bound by this promise. Phantom will not win, now or in the future."

'_Even if we are alone, we are together…_' Ami echoed with quiet peace deep in her soul.

Abruptly, she opened her eyes and jerked her sore head up from her pillow. With a trembling hand, she reached for the silver necklace around her neck. "Even alone, we are together..." she whispered as she looked down at the shiny sixteenth notes.

Her face tightened as her resolve returned. She closed her fist over the little charm and held it to her chest. "Guys, hold on. I'll find you."

She put the pillow aside, tucked the charm back into its hiding place,and stood up from the bed. She walked over to the window and opened the curtains. Her eyes widened as she realized that it was already after noon. Hurriedly, she took a shower and changed clothes.

As she stepped out into the hall to walk to the kitchen, she called Celeste on her communicator and verified that she was not needed for guard duty any time soon. Then, she tried to call Haruka and Michiru.

A worried frown covered her face when she realized that she could not reach either of them. She stopped in the middle of the hallway as she felt her stomach plummet, and then keyed her communicator again.

"Pluto? Where are Neptune and Uranus?"


	21. Chapter 21 Meetings

_Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from "CardCaptor Sakura". They are all owned by the ladies of CLAMP who are much more talented than I. (smile) I also do not own anyone from "Sailor Moon". They are all owned by Takeuchi Naoko whose vision will live eternally. (smile) (Much to Elflina's dismay...) All other characters are my own. Feel free to steal them._

_I do not hold chapters ransom for reviews, but I sure appreciate compliments, constructive criticism, and grammatical corrections. So if you feel like it, please press that little review button, and let me know what you think. _

_As always, greetings to Taeniaea and aserene. (grin) You two always make me impatient to check my e-mail, hahaha... Thank you for reviewing so faithfully. And for my other reviewers, (wink) your reviews are icing on the cake. I hope you all enjoy this one! - Raya_

**Moonlit Sakura**

_(A/N: Vital is pronounced Vee-TAHL, not VEYE-tahl as in 'vital signs'. I'm not sure what the true Brazilian way of pronouncing it would be, so I am borrowing on those years of Spanish from school so long ago.)_

Chapter 21- Meetings

Ami jumped as an alarm began to echo around the central security room. "What now?" she wondered a little irritably as she turned from her attempt to trace Haruka's and Michiru's last location and hit the acknowledge button. On the central screen, the defense computer showed the image of a tall man dressed all in white and reported on his suspicious activity.

Ami stared at the screen in surprise, and then began to smile in delight. "Helios?" Her eyes stayed glued to the screen as she keyed a restricted authorization into the system for him. When he ran a hand through his pale golden hair and glared directly into the video pickup with a frustrated expression, she laughed.

"Oh, come on in, Helios-san. Your Maiden is waiting for you most impatiently," she said softly. Her smile faded as he turned and walked away from the Palace once more. Puzzled, she watched him disappear from view. When he did not reappear, she replayed the activity data. It showed that he had approached the Palace several times over the past 48 hours, each time from a different direction, but had never made any attempt to enter.

After it finished scrolling in front of her once more, she looked contemplatively in the direction he had walked. "You don't remember?" she asked softly. Her only reply was the soft hum of the computers around her.

* * *

Vital Ensoleillé ran a frustrated hand through his hair once more, then turned his back on the Crystal Palace and walked back into the confusing city. '_Why do I always end up here?_' he wondered to himself with a tired sigh. '_The woman crying for my help can't be in the Palace can she?_' He shook his head at this thought then stopped in the middle of the sidewalk to yawn and stretch.

'_Gah. Jet lag is such a drag! I need some coffee_,' he thought as he began to walk again, ignoring the hidden stares of the natives around him.

* * *

Dressed casually in white shorts and a navy blue and white striped top, Pallas pushed open the doors to yet another bookstore. With a stern, determined look on her face, she headed towards the language section. '_Maybe this time,_' she thought to herself as she walked through the store ignoring it's comfy, old-style reading room feel. '_Gohommoto is supposed to have the best language research selection outside of Babel University. Surely I can find some sort of trigger here._'

On her head, her headphones allowed her to block out the distractions of the world around her, but were otherwise becoming unnecessary. The words on the disc filled her brain, repeating themselves over and over. She was so focused on where she was headed that she didn't see the tall, blonde foreigner in her way.

Vital studied the selection of old science fiction books with interest as he raised his double espresso to his lips for a sip. '_Hmmm…. Some old McCaffrey might make a nice distraction… She did a collaboration with Mercedes Lackey?_' he thought to himself in surprise and a little bit of excitement. As he was reaching for the book with his other hand, however, a small body crashed into him.

"Aaaa…." Pallas cried out in surprise as she flew backwards, then was caught and brought forward into a steadying embrace.

"Ich-chya!" Vital cried in pain as his espresso sloshed out of the cup and spilled down his face and chest. Instinctively, he dropped the cup and grabbed to steady the person who had run into him. He looked down into the wide periwinkle blue eyes of a girl with light blue hair.

Headphones askew, Pallas looked up in shock at the tall man who held her loosely. '_Good looking…_' she thought absently to herself.

"Are you all right?" Vital asked, wiping at the espresso on his chin as he let her go.

Pallas blinked, and then nodded. "XGIFRA XTEC HO MRIL!" squawked out of her headphones.

Vital spun around to face her again, and stared at her in shock. Then, he frowned. "Hey, it wasn't _my_ fault. You ran into me, remember? No need for _that_."

Pallas blinked in confusion. "What? No need for what?" Shaking her head, she remembered her manners. "I'm so sorry," she said with a deep bow. "I wasn't watching where I was going. Please forgive me."

Vital relaxed as he recognized her sincerity. "Forgiven," he said and smiled as he watched her stand back up. Then, he looked down at his white shirt. "Oh…" Quickly, he bit off the French and Portuguese swear words that started to come out of his mouth. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and sighed. "Guess I'll have to go back to the hotel and change."

"Huh?" Pallas asked as she looked away from his face and down towards his shirt. As she saw the coffee stain, she raised her hand to her mouth in embarrassment.

Vital sighed again as he twisted to and looked down the side of his pants. "And my pants, too. Shoot. Next time, I'll have to remember to hold onto the espresso."

"I'm so, so sorry," Pallas said again with wide-eyed sincerity. "Do you think it will come out?"

Vital smiled a little wryly as he stooped down to pick up the cup. "I guess so, if I can find some Silver Imperial bleach. That stuff's supposed to be able to remove any stain." He breathed a sigh of relief as he inspected the books on the lower shelves. "Oh good, none of it splashed on the books."

Pallas looked towards the books then nodded her head. "Yes, that is a relief. I don't know if I could afford to pay for all of them. They look pretty rare. You didn't get burned, did you?" she asked belatedly.

He shook his head as he stood back up. "Just a little. Nothing to worry about. The sting is already fading," he replied.

"LMYTH ITK XTECLES. XGIFRA XTEC HO MRIL!" Pallas' headphones squawked again. Vital flashed her another irritated look, and looked around at the empty aisle.

"Okay, who said that? That's not funny," he called.

Pallas blinked, and then raised her hand to her headphones in sudden comprehension. "This?" she asked fighting against hope. "Is this what you hear? Can you understand it?" She pulled off the headphones, and handed them to him.

He gave her a puzzled look, but obediently put the headphones up to his ear. His eyes widened as he heard a man's voice rattle off words in a language he hadn't heard in almost ten years.

"Where did you get this?" he asked in surprise. "And why on earth are you listening to it?"

Pallas kept her eyes fixed on his as she shook her head. "Do you understand it?" she asked again urgently. "What language is it? Can you tell me what he is saying?"

Vital studied her a moment more, taking in her air of desperation and need to know. "It's an old tribal dialect. Most of it is lost now, but a few fragments still survive. My grandmother used to mutter some of those phrases every now and then if someone made her really, really angry."

"It is! She did!" Pallas asked eagerly reaching out to clutch his arm. "What tribe? Where? How much can you understand? Do you speak it?"

"Hey, hey, calm down," he replied with a laugh. "I forget the name of the tribe, but they were decedents of a prehistoric kingdom that occupied the Amazon, including the section of Brazil where my grandmother was born and raised. I only know a few of the phrases I could get her to teach me when she was feeling ornery," he continued more seriously. "Again, where did you get this? And why is it so important that you know what he is saying?"

Pallas shook her head once more, and then looked back towards the linguistics section of the bookstore. "I probably won't find anything on it in here, will I?" she asked rhetorically.

Vital snorted softly and shook his head. "I seriously doubt it. I don't think anyone has studied that civilization, although I might be wrong. I know no-one has studied it enough to write even an article on its language, much less a whole book. If they could even find enough to write a book on..." He trailed off as he noticed that the girl's eyes were fixed on him once more.

She studied him intently, as if trying to make a decision. Finally, she nodded to herself. "Please, I need your help. Can you come with me?" She looked at him more pleadingly as she noticed the suspicion and uncertainty in his expression. "Please, it's really important. I _have_ to know what this man is saying, and anything more you can tell me about that ancient tribe," she begged.

Vital looked at her a moment more, and then sighed. "Okay, okay, you can stop with the baby eyes. Can I at least change first?"

Pallas grinned in excitement, joy, and relief. "Of course. But please, hurry. It's so, so important!"

Vital nodded as he led the way towards the door. "By the way, my name is Vital Ensoleillé of Montreal, Canada. And you are?"

"Oh... Sorry... I am Pallas Nychta of Crystal Tokyo."

"Pallas Nychta? That doesn't sound Japanese at all," he replied holding the door open chivalrously for her.

She laughed as she nodded her thanks and walked through. "No, it's Greek. I was born in Athens, but I moved here several years ago for training," she said.

Behind them, the store owner noted Vital's newly stained clothes and muttered an angry curse. Grabbing some paper towels from under the counter, he hurried to the aisle the two had come from. Quickly, he spotted the small spill. As he knelt to clean it up, he glanced fearfully at the books on the shelf, and then breathed a sigh of relief. "Thoughtless kids," he muttered as he slowly climbed back to his feet. "Anyone could have slipped on that. Well, at least they didn't ruin the books then run."

* * *

King Necro moaned as he slowly regained consciousness. Groggily, he opened his eyes and looked around his makeshift bedroom. "Fey?" he croaked uncertainly.

"Nowhere to be found," a childish voice replied.

King Necro looked towards the foot of his bed in surprise. "You... You are..."

"King Wisp," the ten-year old, golden headed boy replied. "The Emperor sent me when Queen Geist sensed that Queen Fey was gone and you were severely wounded." He held up a small bottle of glowing green liquid. "That must've been some fight. It took almost a half a bottle of Dyltha juice to heal you."

King Necro slowly sat up and leaned against the wall behind his bed. "The ones who did it are gone," he said flatly. "I take it you are to be my new partner?" he asked distastefully. He grimaced as the child nodded. "Just what I need..."

Distantly, Queen Fey felt a soft, cool hand rest against her forehead, and then pull away again. "She's starting to run a fever," she heard a familiar voice say worriedly. "She might be getting an infection."

Something was pulled away from her face. She heard the sound of something being dipped in water, and then something cool was placed back on her forehead. As she drifted back to her restless sleep, she heard the voice again. This time, it was tentative and full of doubt. "Maybe we should ask them for help..."

* * *

"I'm home," Sakura called out as she walked into her house after school. She looked around the living room, and then walked over to the kitchen area.

"Welcome home," her father called. He stood next to the stove dressed in an apron with a testing dish raised to his face. "How was school today?"

"Pretty good," she replied, standing in the doorway. "The teachers were still a little concerned about my fainting spell the other day, but other than keeping a close eye on me they're beginning to treat me like normal again." Her father nodded then sipped from the dish. "Is there anything I can help with?" she asked, shifting her bag to her other hand.

Fujitaka shook his head. "No, everything is under control. Why don't you go change and relax? Dinner will be ready in about half an hour."

Sakura nodded, and turned towards the stairs. She paused, and then turned back. "Are you all set for your trip?" she asked tentatively. She relaxed a little as he nodded, and turned back towards the stairs to climb to her room.

A short time later, she began to set the table for dinner. She blinked as she saw the number of plates waiting on the counter for her. "Um, Dad? Are Yukito-san and Onii-chan joining us for dinner today?"

Her father paused as he stirred the miso soup, and then continued. "Yes. I've asked them to stay with you while I'm gone."

"Oh..." she said softly, and continued to set the table.

"Sakura-san," her father began, but she cut him off.

"It's all right," she said with a smile. "I know you're worried about me, and so are they. Besides, it'll be fun having them around for a little while. I'm just glad you didn't cancel your trip because of me. I know how much you've been looking forward to this conference."

Fujitaka looked at her then turned back to the stove. "I considered it, but... There isn't much that I can do to help."

"Dad... Really, it will be all right," Sakura said gently. "Last time, there was a long break after two Cards changed at the same time. It will probably happen again. It takes a lot of energy to transform the Cards." She gave a small laugh as she remembered her "trials" a few years ago. "I should know. So don't worry. Go enjoy your conference," she said with an encouraging smile.

Fujitaka smiled back, and nodded his head slowly.

After her father left to catch his train, Sakura brought down the Sakura Book and laid it on the table in the living room. Yukito, Kero, and Touya looked at her curiously as she opened it and removed the Cards.

"Moon, Sun, Fire, Death, Strength," she said as she laid the Cards on the table in front of them. They leaned forward as they realized that she had the new Cards in her hands as well. "Metal, Air, and Water..." She looked at her Guardians and her brother as they quietly studied the new Cards. Fight and the little white cat hid Glow, Sword had covered Windy, and Mirror had appeared in Watery's place.

She pointed to each of the Cards again. "Purity, Life, War, Destruction, Protection, Beauty, Rebellion, and Affinity." She looked down and sighed. "I just wish I knew what it meant."


	22. Chapter 22 A Helpful Dream

_Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from "CardCaptor Sakura". They are all owned by the ladies of CLAMP who are much more talented than I. (smile) I also do not own anyone from "Sailor Moon". They are all owned by Takeuchi Naoko whose vision will live eternally. (smile) (Much to Elflina's dismay...) All other characters are my own. Feel free to steal them._

_I do not hold chapters ransom for reviews, but I sure appreciate compliments, constructive criticism, and grammatical corrections. So if you feel like it, please press that little review button, and let me know what you think. _

_Greetings, all, especially Taeniaea and aserene. Sorry, short chapter this time. Hopefully, the next three will make up for it. (wink) Shall I give you a hint? Hmmm... Nah! (giggle) Okay, okay... It's set it Crystal Tokyo, and our new villain has set his sights on... Diana. Luna is NOT going to be happy... Since this is a short one, I'll do a double upload today. I'll be traveling on Tuesday and Wednesday, so I'm not sure if I'll be able to update. So, Moon's Light readers will get an update tonight as well._

_Enjoy! - Raya_

**Moonlit Sakura**

Chapter 22 - A Helpful Dream

Sakura snuggled down into her bed with a sleepy sigh, and drifted off to sleep. Soon, she found herself in the crystal hallway once more. She blinked in surprise when she saw the portraits lining the walls, suddenly remembering their presence. As she looked down the hall, however, she realized that there were more of them.

She nodded to the Lady on the Moon, the Knight in the Garden, the Fire Dancer, and the Sleeper as she walked down the hallway. Somehow, it felt right to acknowledge them as if they were alive and aware. As she reached the next picture, she stopped and stared.

A young woman with shoulder length hair rested in the branches of a tall, old oak. Her long, sparkling green gown blended with the shining leaves of the tree, while the shade of her brown hair matched the shadowed trunk. She smiled up at the full moon that shone in the blue sky above her while she cradled some hidden object protectively in her arms. She seemed unconcerned about the jagged green-white lightening that was shooting out from the tree in all directions. The lightening ran out of the picture and onto the medium dark oak frame that surrounded it.

Sakura studied the picture a few moments, admiring the strength it radiated, and then nodded to the Lady in the Tree, and moved on to the next picture. She blinked in stunned amazement. A golden-haired woman of unspeakable beauty stood in the middle of an open-aired temple made of marble columns and a floor of pure gold. The bright gold frame appeared to bleed into the picture and form her long dress of glowing molten gold. The marble columns were also etched with gold and golden images. She held a spray of orange flowers tinged with yellow tips up to a full moon as if offering a gift with a small, delighted smile. The picture left her breathless at its bright beauty.

When she finally tore her eyes from the woman and looked towards the next picture in the hall, she realized that the wall had expanded up to allow two pictures to be placed together. Curious, she walked towards them.

In the lower picture framed by seashells, a beautiful woman with aqua hair floated on a sparkling ocean. Her long, deep indigo colored dress draped below her as if to pull her down. Under her, various sea creatures swam including swordfish, sea bass, and a dolphin. To the left of her head, the reflection of a shining full moon danced on the water while to the right of her sandaled feet a whale dove back into the deep. One hand held a mirror, while the other reached up yearningly towards the picture above it.

In that picture, framed by clear glass, a woman with short white hair faced her and reached yearningly back with her free hand. In her other hand, she held a shining saber. She appeared to be floating or flying through the air beneath several white puffy clouds. A little to her left and above her, the full moon shone brightly, and birds flew all around her. Her dark yellow dress had panels of fabric for a skirt which arced up into the air behind her, as if to pull her back into the sky. On her feet were dark ankle boots.

Sakura studied the two paintings silently, saddened by the gap that seem to eternally separate the two. She bit her lip, and then reached out to touch the two frames trying to figure out how to move them closer together. As she touched the frames, a bright light made her jump back in surprise and shield her eyes. When she could see again, she found that the two pictures had merged into one, and that the two women were now touching hand to hand. Sakura smiled happily and nodded at the result.

As she turned to look for more pictures, the hallway faded away. She looked around in surprise as she floated through an inky blackness and then was surrounded by pink mist. Floating in front of her, she saw the people from the portraits, dressed in different outfits, standing in a large group. Her eyes widened in surprised delight as she saw several of her Card Spirits with them looking normal, healthy, and well.

As she reached towards them, Windy looked up, saw her, and smiled. "Windy…" she said softly.

"I wish we knew how to get out of here," the Lady on the Moon sighed. "I wish Ami-chan were here."

Her friends murmured and nodded in agreement. "Well, what would she tell us to do?" the Lady in the Tree asked reflectively.

"We could try Sailor Teleport," the Golden Priestess said, holding a small white cat in her arms.

"I don't think that would be a good idea," the Fire Dancer replied, shaking her head. As the others looked at her questioningly, she shook her head again. "Just a feeling," she continued.

"Well, if Rei-chan has a feeling we shouldn't, then we shouldn't," the first woman said with disappointment.

"Maybe Michiru-mama can find the way with her Mirror?" the Sleeper asked tentatively.

"Mirror…" Sakura heard herself echo. Mirror, standing beside the Ocean Goddess, turned curiously at the sound of her voice. She smiled, and then began to glow.

The Knight in the Garden suddenly stiffened and stared straight at her. "Who's there!" he called stepping protectively closer to the woman with white pigtails.

Sakura blinked in surprise, and felt her heart speed up with excitement. She opened her mouth to respond when a loud beeping noise interrupted her. Abruptly, the dream faded away, and Sakura sat up abruptly in her bed reaching after it.


	23. Chapter 23 Approaching the Gates of Time

_Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from "CardCaptor Sakura". They are all owned by the ladies of CLAMP who are much more talented than I. (smile) I also do not own anyone from "Sailor Moon". They are all owned by Takeuchi Naoko whose vision will live eternally. (smile) (Much to Elflina's dismay...) All other characters are my own. Feel free to steal them._

_I do not hold chapters ransom for reviews, but I sure appreciate compliments, constructive criticism, and grammatical corrections. So if you feel like it, please press that little review button, and let me know what you think. _

_Okay, here's the longer chapter I promised. Wow! I had three reviews today! Hurray! Hi to Taeniaea, aserene, and Miss Takin. Haha, I know all about trips... That's why you all are getting another update so soon. And just your luck, more Helios! Haha, I can't promise he'll be the same as anime or manga Helios, but hopefully you'll like my characterization of him as well. Enjoy, minna! - Raya_

**Moonlit Sakura**

Chapter 23 - Approaching the Gates of Time

King Necro glared impatiently at the hologram in front of him. "Blasted little ostrich! No… Turtle. Come out of your shell, you stubborn little turtle!"

King Wisp looked up from his handheld electronic game system. "Turtle? Who's a turtle?" he asked curiously. When he saw that the holographic image was still as distorted and out of focus as it had been an hour ago, he turned back to his game.

"The Princess," King Necro replied trying to hold on to his temper. "She's hiding in the protected part of the Palace. Doesn't that thing have a mute button?" he grumbled spinning around to glare at his young partner.

"Nope," the boy responded unfazed. "What would be the fun in that?" As King Necro growled an incoherent response, the boy looked up at the hologram again. "Hey, what's that?" he asked. His fingers automatically hit the pause button.

King Necro spun around expectantly, and then sighed in disappointment. "That? That's just her silly little cat," he replied. "It goes almost everywhere with her these days." He paused as he realized what he had said.

"Really?" King Wisp asked. His grin was not very childish at all as he continued. "Well, well… Maybe we can use that. Such a pretty kitty… I think I'll keep it after we get rid of its owner…"

After several more minutes of watching the little grey cat wander aimlessly around the garden, King Necro sat down with a sigh. "She must've kicked it out for some fresh air or something," he said rubbing his face tiredly. "If she were coming out, she'd be there by now."

The cat stopped, looked over its shoulder for a moment, and then began to walk back toward the Palace. "So…" King Wisp said, still staring possessively at the cat. "Why don't you just teleport in and find her?"

"I told you, I can't see into the protected part of the Palace. And even if I felt like trying to make a blind jump, that section has some sort of ward around it which will just make me bounce off," King Necro replied irritably.

"But you can teleport there, can't you?" King Wisp asked, pointing at the hologram of the garden and turning to look at him with shining green eyes. "And if we get there fast enough, we can follow the kitty right back to her. You eliminate her, I grab the kitty, and we get out of there. Boom! Fast as a flash."

"And the guards?" King Necro asked tauntingly, but with reluctant excitement.

King Wisp snorted. "Oh come on. I know a few cloaking spells if you don't. Add in a shield to deflect any attacks, and even if they find us, they can't hurt us before we get away."

As he watched the older man rub his face tiredly again, his face took on a serious expression. "Can you do it?" he asked. "The Dyltha juice healed your wounds, but it doesn't look like it did much for your strength or energy." He held his gaze steady as King Necro glared down at him. "I'm serious. Moving too early would be a mistake. They could plan a guard against us for the future. And, if your power failed… I'm not sure I'm strong enough yet to get us both out of there. If you're not up to it, it's better to wait."

King Necro clenched his fists, and then took a deep breath. He closed his eyes, and let is trickle out slowly. King Wisp's eyes drifted back to look longingly at the pretty grey kitty he just had to have. It had stopped beside a fountain, and appeared to be watching the fish.

"You're right," King Necro finally said reluctantly. "If we move too fast, we might make a mistake. But..." A satisfied smile blossomed on his face as he opened his eyes again. "There is a cure to the low energy problem, too."

This interesting statement brought King Wisp's eyes away from the hologram once again. "Oh? Really? What is it?"

King Necro looked down to the ground to hide the sudden gleam in his eyes. For the first time in ages, he felt in control and relaxed enough to tease. "Why, we simply kill the cat, after it leads us to the Princess of course, and use its life energy. Surely you learned basic life energy drainage in your intermediate magic course?"

"Eh? No! I want the kitty cat!" King Wisp wailed as he leapt to his feet. "If you're gonna suck the life outta something, go suck it out of one of those animals outside! The kitty's gonna be mine!"

King Necro looked towards the door that King Wisp had pointed at. "But, that won't work nearly as well," he grumbled. "The cat lives in the Palace, so it might have some magical powers. Besides, not only would we get the life energy from it, we'd get the Princess' negative sorrow and hate energy, too. No, it'll have to be the kitty."

"No," King Wisp growled, clenching his game. "It's mine. You can't have it!"

Unable to resist any longer, King Necro glanced over towards the irritated child. As he took in the boy's expression, he choked, and then burst out into cold laughter. "Do... Do you think you can stop me?" he gasped out, egging the boy on more.

"Watch me," King Wisp responded tightly. "I'm more powerful than you think."

"Oh?" King Necro finally managed to get a hold of himself. "Then, what will you give me in order to not use the cat?" King Wisp fiddled with his game while he thought. After a moment or so of silence, King Necro spoke again. "How about that game?"

King Wisp gave him a wide-eyed look, and snatched the game protectively to his chest. "No way! I'll go get you a jungle cat or something."

The older man fought back another laugh. "No... How about some herbs and fungus instead?" He smiled coldly as the golden-haired boy looked at him suspiciously. "Ever hear of Licferex?"

* * *

Vital looked at the crystalline structure in front of him in disbelief. "The Palace? You are taking me to the Crystal Palace?" he asked Pallas uncertainly. The blue haired girl smiled and nodded cheerfully, holding tightly to his left arm with her right hand. She tried to drag him towards the Palace, but his feet seemed to be frozen in place. "You must be joking, right? How will we get in?"

Pallas paused, and then gave him an innocent look. "Why, I thought we'd go in the front door. Unless you have a better idea?"

He gave her a stern look. "Hey, even in Canada we know that only people reborn from the Silver Millennium can enter the Crystal Palace. So what are we going to do? March up to the door and ask them to let us in?"

Pallas smiled mischievously. "Well, I suppose we could. I was just going to go in, but knocking on the door first might be more polite." Her smile widened as he looked at her in disbelief. "Actually, anyone can enter the public section. How else would the countries of the world be able to freely select the delegates that they send here to talk with the King and Queen?"

Vital blinked as he assimilated this new piece of information. "I suppose that makes sense, but still... Why would they let us in? We aren't representatives. And why are we going there anyway?"

"Because that's where my friends are. The ones who need your help with translating the words on this disc," Pallas replied trying to drag him forward again. Again, she failed to budge him. She turned to look at him and sighed. "Look, just trust me, okay?"

He gave her another look, slowly took a step forward, and stopped again. "I just met you, and you're asking me to trust you? You listen to a disc full of ancient curses, and claim to have friends who are inside the Crystal Palace? You're nuts."

She gave him a hurt, irritated look and dropped his arm. "I am not nuts. My friends really are inside the Crystal Palace, and I really am listening to this disc to try and understand what he is saying, not to learn some ancient, esoteric curses."

"Yeah, whatever," Vital said as he turned away from the Palace. "Look, I may be a foreigner, but I'm not stupid. Go play your tricks on someone else." As he began to walk away, he remembered his earlier thought that the woman calling for his help may be in the Palace.

"No, wait!" Pallas cried desperately. She raced around to block his path. "Please..." she pleaded. "You have to help us! Look, my friends work in the Palace, okay? They're in security. You've heard about the man who kidnapped the King and Queen? This seems to be the language he speaks. I volunteered to figure out what it was because I'm good at languages. Please... Please believe me!"

Vital stopped and studied her desperate, sincere periwinkle-blue eyes. He chewed on his inner lower lip as his gut pushed him to believe her incredible story.

As the Canadian studied her with his wine colored eyes, Pallas felt her desperation build. Slowly, she reached into her pocket and grasped her transformation pen. She was just about to pull it out and transform in spite of the danger of triggering a false red alert when he sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"Okay. I don't know how, but you've convinced me. Let's go," he said in resignation.

Pallas closed her eyes briefly in relief and released her transformation pen. "This way," she said, quickly grabbing his arm again before he could change his mind and leading him back towards the front entrance of the Palace.

* * *

King Wisp made a face at the pile of lichen, moss, herbs, and fungus that King Necro had made him assemble. He watched with increasing interest, however, as the older man mashed the pile together with his hands and used a little bit of magic to shrink and concentrate it.

"There," King Necro said as he studied his handiwork. "Not the best tasting of mixtures, but one guaranteed to boost the psychic and magical energy levels." He took up a banana leaf, tore it in half, and wrapped the mixture into a giant capsule. With one last magical burst, he reduced the size of the capsule from the size of his palm to the size of his thumb. "Now the hard part," he said grimacing. "Dyltha juice…"

Fascinated, King Wisp put the bottle of sickly sweet juice into King Necro's outstretched hand. The older man took several quick, deep breaths, then popped the pill into his mouth and drank a slug of the healing juice.

"Gah…." he choked, clutching his throat. His face contorted horrifically at the awful taste of the mixture and the juice. He collapsed to his knees swallowing and gasping for breath. King Wisp quickly repositioned himself so he could continue to watch his partner's strange expressions.

After several minutes, King Necro finally sat back up with a shudder. "I _hate_ that stuff," he muttered as he wiped his mouth. "But, it is effective." He looked over at his younger partner. "Well, are you ready to go collect your cat?" he asked with an evil smile. As the boy nodded eagerly, he cast the spell for the shield and cloak, and teleported them to the Royal Garden.

* * *

Diana stared sadly down into the koi pond. "Father…" she whispered, closing her eyes. '_Mother… Oh, what can I do? Father is gone. Mother wishes she were gone. Lady is hurting. And I can't do anything to help any of them._'

She bowed her head lower as she remembered all her mistakes in dealing with the South African delegation the day before. '_How could I have forgotten the Johannesburg Edict?_' she wailed inside her mind. '_And then, to let her trip me up on the Agreement of 2804… if it hadn't been for Pallas and her mentioning of the Amendment of 2806, I would have advised Lady-chan to give up so much that we had gained back then!_'

She crouched by the pond lost in her misery. A few minutes later, however, one of the larger koi leaped out of the water and splashed her. "Eh!" she cried out as she jerked back. She shook the water off of her face, and stared at the pond a moment. "Stupid little fish," she murmured as she began to dry her face with a front paw. "Stupid, tasty, little fish. Just you wait. One day, Lady will let me eat you, and then you'll be sorry."

Unnoticed behind her, the enemy teleported into the garden. King Necro reached out and grabbed King Wisp's shoulder tightly to keep him from racing up to the cat he desired.

Diana sighed as she dropped her paw back in front of her again. '_I know. I'll go see Pluto. She'll probably be happy for a visit, and maybe she can help me figure out what I should be doing about this mess. If nothing else, she can tell me how to deal with those tricky South Africans…_' With a little nod, she stood up and walked back into the Palace.

* * *

Vital stared as the huge, crystal doors opened smoothly and quietly at their approach. "We don't have to announce ourselves?" he asked wonderingly noting the lack of guards.

Pallas turned and gave him another smile. "The grounds and the doors are monitored, of course. Whoever is on duty apparently recognized me and opened them up. As long as you stay with me everything will be fine."

"And if I wander away or get lost?" he asked curiously.

"Um... I wouldn't recommend that," she said in a serious tone. "Everyone's a bit jumpy right now. They might attack first and ask questions later. Besides, we don't have too far to go."

Vital nodded to show that he had heard, and stared at the decorations in the hall. The rich fabrics, beautiful paintings, and sprays of fresh flowers seemed more welcoming than overwhelming. He admired the balance that the decorator had achieved. He blinked as he recognized a painting of a field of bright poppies. "Isn't that a..." he started to ask.

"Pallas-chan?" a sweet soprano voice interrupted him. He looked around and spotted a pink-haired girl, slightly taller than Pallas, wearing a gold tank top, white miniskirt, and strappy white sandals. She was standing in a side hall holding a small notebook.

Pallas stopped, and then spun around to face the girl with a smile. "Celeste-chan! I did it! Come on!" she called happily, waving.

Celeste cocked her head to the side, and walked over to the couple. "You did? Did what?" she asked absently, eyes glued to Vital. As she stopped in front of him, she blushed, and bowed. "How do you do? My name is Celeste d'Nuit. It's very nice to meet you," she said softly with a French accent.

"Vital Ensoleillé," Vital replied politely with a bow. "It's nice to meet you also."

"Vital-san can understand the language that creep is using," Pallas interrupted excitedly. "He says it's some tribal dialect in Brazil!"

Celeste blinked, abruptly awakened from her daze. "He can? You do?" she asked looking from one to the other. "That's... That's great!" she exclaimed catching some of Pallas' excitement. A bit of caution made her study the man again. "If you don't mind me asking, how did you learn it?" she asked trying to sound nonchalant.

Vital gave her a look, but replied politely. "My grandmother used to speak it. I haven't heard it in years, but I recognized it right off when Pallas-san's headphones started spouting it at me." He met her medium pink eyes squarely, and then blinked, as something about them seemed familiar.

"I'm taking him to the blue music room," Pallas said looking from one to the other and chewing on her lower lip. "I figured Ami-san could join us there, and it has a lot of the equipment that we would need."

Celeste nodded, and smiled reassuringly at the younger girl. "That's a real good idea. Let me call the others, and we'll all go together." She lifted her wrist communicator and pressed two buttons. "June-chan? Bessa-chan? Meeting in the blue music room in five minutes."

"What? A meeting now? But I'm in the middle of currying Nagareboshi..." Bessa asked with a little bit of irritation.

Celeste rolled her eyes. "It's important. Pallas-chan has a breakthrough," she replied patiently.

"Oh, all right," Bessa's voice sighed. "I'll be right there..."

"Get cleaned up first!" Pallas called, leaning towards Celeste's arm. Celeste quickly cut the connection before Bessa's grumbling could start again.

Vital looked doubtfully at Celeste. "Would you be one of the friends in security that Pallas-san mentioned?" he asked trying to keep the disbelief out of his voice.

As Celeste blinked uncertainly up at him, Pallas put on her most ingenuous expression. "No, that would be Ami-san. Celeste-chan is just a friend of mine." As he slowly nodded not quite believing her, she turned back to Celeste. "Um... Lady-chan?"

"Okay," Celeste replied glancing quickly at the outsider. "Studying up on the agreements and amendments. Cramming, more likely." She sighed as her face took on a teasing expression. "Of _course_ she couldn't learn them in class..."

Pallas giggled in response as Vital turned back to studying the decorations. "Right… You're one to talk…" she teased.

"Hey, Pallas-chan!" another voice called out. Dressed in a dark green tube top, white coolats, and a pair of white tennis shoes, June came to a stop by Pallas, and then leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Where did you find _him_?" She eyed the tall blonde handsome man appreciatively.

Pallas gave her a puzzled look for a second, and then smiled teasingly. "Bookstore," she whispered back.

June gave her a disbelieving look, and eyed Vital once again. "Hmph. I might just have to take up reading," she whispered. "Introduce me, would you?" she asked in a more normal voice.

Vital pretended not to hear the whispered exchange. '_Teenage girls_,' he sighed to himself. Deep inside, he noted that their fascination didn't bother him as much as it usually did. And thus, he was still relaxed and somewhat cheerful as he turned to exchange introductions.

"And this is Bessa Ejjel," Pallas said as Bessa came running up after June had been introduced. Bessa skidded to a halt and stared at Vital in surprise. Dressed in a red tee shirt, white jeans and boots, she had obviously taken Pallas' advice to clean up. "Bessa-chan, this is Vital Ensoleillé. He understands the words that creep has been using to make people disappear."

June and Bessa turned to look at their friends in surprised hope, and then turned back to their visitor. "You can?" June asked in amazement. "Oh that is so-o-o great," she added as he nodded. "I'm doubly glad to meet you. Let's get to the music room, quick, so we can introduce you to Ami-san!" The others nodded in agreement, and smiling to hide their nervous suspicion, quickly led Vital towards the music room.


	24. Chapter 24 Broken Watch

_Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from "CardCaptor Sakura". They are all owned by the ladies of CLAMP who are much more talented than I. (smile) I also do not own anyone from "Sailor Moon". They are all owned by Takeuchi Naoko whose vision will live eternally. (smile) (Much to Elflina's dismay...) All other characters are my own. Feel free to steal them._

_I do not hold chapters ransom for reviews, but I sure appreciate compliments, constructive criticism, and grammatical corrections. So if you feel like it, please press that little review button, and let me know what you think. _

_Wow! Four reviews this time! Including one new reviewer! Thanks, yaoifanboy! And greetings to Taeniaea, aserene, and Miss Takin. (smile) I hope this one will move a little faster for you. As for how big a part Helios will play... (wink) You'll have to wait and see. And now, will it be Pluto or Diana... Or someone else entirely... Enjoy, everyone! - Raya_

**Moonlit Sakura**

Chapter 24 - Broken Watch

Standing watch at the Doors of Time, Super Sailor Pluto looked sadly across the hall. Once again, her thoughts were with her fallen comrades and her missing Queen. A slight movement out of the corner of her eye, however, quickly pulled her attention to the present. Tightening her hands on her Staff, she scanned the hall, and then turned to look in the direction of the movement.

"Luna?" she asked in surprise as she relaxed. "What brings you here?"

"Good afternoon, Pluto," the small, black cat replied softly, coming out of the shadows. "I didn't mean to distract you. I was just looking for somewhere to curl up for a while."

"A place to curl up?" Super Sailor Pluto asked a little confused.

"Mm… Small Lady is studying in her room, and I seem to be distracting her. I don't feel like going outside, and I can't… I just can't go in Serenity's rooms..," the despondent adviser replied. She bowed her head and sank lower to the ground as her loss overwhelmed her once more.

Quickly, Super Sailor Pluto stepped over to her, knelt down, and ran a comforting hand from her head to her tail. "Of course," she said with a voice full of understanding. "And I bet Small Lady is making all sorts of noise and commotion to avoid studying, so you can't even get in a nap," she continued with a small smile.

Luna leaned into the caress, and then looked up with a matching smile at the last comment. "She's just as bad as… as Usagi when it comes to studying these days," she said allowing herself to be distracted. "She did so much better back in the 20th century… I wonder what changed?"

"She's not trying to be perfect anymore," Super Sailor Pluto replied as she stood up to return to her preferred post. "And it brings her a little closer to her mother."

"Hmph. Closer? Seems to me, all it does is make them fight," Luna replied as she walked over to curl up in the shadows by the Doors.

"Mm-hmm," Super Sailor Pluto agreed, looking around the hall once again. "Just like the old days. I think she misses that."

"Maybe…" Luna said doubtfully. A long, comfortable silence fell between the two as Luna settled in for a nap and Super Sailor Pluto continued to watch both the Mists of Time and the entry hall.

* * *

Ami looked up as the Palace alarm rang once again. Turning to the central display, she saw a split screen showing two different scenes. She blinked in confusion as she saw Diana walk back into the Palace from the garden, but no sign of danger or concern. The scene on the other half of the screen quickly distracted her, however.

With a smile, she reached out and pressed the button to open the doors for Pallas and Helios. "At last," she said softly as she watched them enter the main entry hall. "But… How did Pallas-chan know?" she wondered.

When she saw Celeste approaching the couple, she quickly reached out and turned on the local microphone.

"How do you do? My name is Celeste d'Nuit. It's very nice to meet you," the pink-haired girl said softly as she bowed.

"Vital Ensoleillé," Vital replied politely with a bow. "It's nice to meet you also."

"Vital-san can understand the language that creep is using," Pallas interrupted excitedly. "He says it's some tribal dialect in Brazil!"

'_Ah_,' Ami thought with a nod. '_So, she didn't know. That makes more sense._' She stiffened as she fully realized what Pallas had actually said. '_He knows it? He can understand it?_' She heard Celeste echo her surprise.

"If you don't mind me asking, how did you learn it?" Celeste asked trying to sound nonchalant.

Ami turned to look at Vital eager for his answer. '_Maybe he remembers something from his previous life after all?_'

Vital gave his questioner a look, but replied politely. "My grandmother used to speak it. I haven't heard it in years, but I recognized it right off when Pallas-san's headphones started spouting it at me."

'_And then again, maybe not_,' Ami sighed to herself.

"I'm taking him to the blue music room," Pallas said looking from one to the other and chewing on her lower lip. "I figured Ami-san could join us there, and it has a lot of the equipment that we would need."

Ami nodded at this sensible suggestion. Quickly, she turned around and began to gather up her discs and papers.

"That's a real good idea. Let me call the others, and we'll all go together," she heard Celeste say. "June-chan? Bessa-chan? Meeting in the blue music room in five minutes."

* * *

Diana paused and looked behind her uneasily as she threaded her way though the Palace. She took a couple of deep breaths, but didn't smell anything unusual. She listened intently, but heard only her own breathing. Still, she couldn't shake off the hair-raising feeling that she was being followed.

'_It must be my imagination_,' she thought as she slowly turned to continue her walk. Even to herself, she didn't sound convinced. '_Pallas and the others are good, but they aren't that good. And no-one who wasn't born into the Silver Millennium can come into this section_.'

As she spotted Super Sailor Pluto standing beside the Doors of Time, she sped up. "Pluto!" she called, trotting into the hall.

"Just my luck," King Necro mumbled with a grimace. "Not the Princess after all." Beside him, still held by the shoulder, King Wisp nodded with a matching grimace. As they approached the hall, however, they spotted the door that the senshi appeared to be guarding. King Necro looked down at his partner with a raised eyebrow and an evil smile. King Wisp grinned back up at him.

"We just have to wait for her to open that door," the boy said softly. "Then, we slip in and get her right in her own chambers. Perfect. Maybe take out a guard on the way, too." The two of them picked up their pace, trying to close the gap to make it easier for them to slip in behind the cat.

King Necro shook his head. "No, no guards. They have this nasty habit of getting in the way and foiling the mission. Just concentrate on the Princess."

"And the kitty," King Wisp added, eyes drifting back to the little grey cat.

King Necro sighed and rolled his eyes. "Yes, and the kitty…" They watched eagerly as the cat hurried towards the door.

Suddenly, Super Sailor Pluto stiffened. "Stop!" she called out, bringing her Staff around defensively.

Diana skidded to a halt in surprise. "Pluto?" she called out uncertainly.

"Blast," King Necro said coming to a halt and clenching his free had as the senshi stared directly at him.

* * *

As Ami walked towards the door, the alarm sounded again. Puzzled, she turned back to look towards the monitor. Her eyes widened as she saw Super Sailor Pluto swing her Staff around defensively, and Diana skid to a halt. Ami watched in shock as the Guardian of Time threw a Dead Scream attack over Diana's head. When it appeared to bounce off of thin air, her eyes narrowed again in sudden comprehension. Quickly, she reached for the all call alert on her communicator.

* * *

"Enemy detected at Pluto's post! Everyone hurry!"

Celeste, June, Bessa, and Pallas all jumped as Ami's voice came loudly out of their communicators. They all glanced nervously at Vital, and then huddled up together.

"What do we do?" Pallas whispered fidgeting uncertainly.

For a few seconds, they stood looking at each other silently. Finally, Celeste nodded. "No choice," she said resolutely. "He's too strong. They'll need us all." She looked over towards their guest. Vital was politely studying the craftsmanship of a nearby table.

"Vital-san," she called. He turned to face her. "Please stay here. We… We're in the support group, and we might be needed."

Vital held back a snort at this blatant lie. "Of course," he told her blandly. "I'm sure I can find plenty to look at. Good luck."

The girls nodded, relieved, and took off towards Pluto's secluded hall.

As Vital turned back towards the table, he felt a strong tug on his spirit.

'_No… Puu…_'

Quickly, he spun around looking for the woman who had cried out. As usual, there was no one around.

'_She_ is_ here_,' he thought to himself in amazement. Unthinkingly, he began to race after his four escorts. '_Where is she?_'

"Ceres Power!" "Juno Power!" "Vesta Power!" "Pallas Power!" "Make-UP!"

Vital blinked in surprise and nearly stumbled as bright lights and loud noises filled the hallway. For a moment, he imagined he was sitting by the window in his grandmother's kitchen once more listening to a storm roll through the jungle. His eyes widened again when the lights died down and he saw four young senshi where the four girls had once been.

'_Support team. Yeah, right_,' he thought to himself, oddly amused and unsurprised. He frowned, however, when he realized that they were beginning to leave him in the dust. He ran as fast as he could, but he was unable to keep up. Fortunately, the tug on his spirit seemed to be coming from the same direction.

* * *

"Blasted, irritating guards!" King Necro fumed as he dropped the cloaking spell and upped the power on the shielding spell. "You're always in my way!"

Super Sailor Pluto ignored his grumbling, and quickly drew up another attack. "Chronos TYPHOON!" she yelled, using her staff to aim the Garnet Orb at the enemy. A swirling, garnet purple light flew across the hall and hit King Necro's shield. Diana crouched as close to the floor as she could, ears flat, too shocked to move.

"Useless," he sneered as the attack bounced off harmlessly. "When are you ladies going to learn that your attacks have no effect on me? Just stand aside, and I will let you live."

"Never," Super Sailor Pluto responded quietly, but firmly. "It is my duty to guard these Doors through all eternity. I'll never surrender them."

"Is she worth it?" King Wisp asked curiously, catching her gaze. "Is she really worth your life?"

Super Sailor Pluto gave him a puzzled look, but did not relax her stance. "She?"

King Wisp began to glow softly. "The Princess," he said softly, looking innocently curious. "Isn't your life as valuable as hers? More so? After all, you're a senshi. She's just a princess. A spoiled little brat, born into wealth and privilege. She never had to earn her position."

Super Sailor Pluto's eyes began to glaze over, but she did not relax her defensive stance. "Just a princess...? ... Spoiled... little...? ... Never...?"

King Wisp nodded, still holding her gaze. Stealthily, King Necro took out his wand. "Just a spoiled little princess who isn't worth a valuable life like yours. You should just step aside. Maybe go check on your fellow soldiers?"

Super Sailor Pluto slowly shook her head. "A spoiled little princess? Who never earned... Not worth...?" she asked again unable to take her eyes off the glowing child.

"Well, isn't she?" he asked encouragingly.

"Not in this millennium, or any other," the Senshi of Revolution replied, raising her staff. King Wisp blinked in shock as she shook off his attack. "Pluto Phantom SHOCKWAVE!" A half-circle of garnet purple light swept between the senshi and her attackers.

"DIANA!" Luna yelled as her daughter huddled down and put her paws over her head. "Diana, MOVE!"

Diana screeched as the shock wave lifted her up and tossed her unconscious to the floor a little to one side. King Necro's shield buckled, but held.

"Hey!" King Wisp yelled. "My cat!"

"No..." several voices wailed at the same time. Super Sailor Moon skidded to a halt, staring in shock at her wounded friend. Across the hall, her guardian senshi and Super Sailor Mercury also stopped and stared.

Luna raced across the hall, her eyes fixed on the man who had single-handedly ruined her life. "Why you..." she growled lowly. As she leapt into the air, claws outstretched to blind him and ruin his face, he raised his wand and threw his freeze spell at Super Sailor Pluto who stood directly behind her. Instantly, the little black cat was frozen mid-leap, and fell to the floor.

"You should have let us have the Princess," King Necro said tauntingly. "Now you will have to take her place." He began to wave his wand and chant the banishment spell.

"No!" screamed Super Sailor Moon, pulling out her Moon Rod.

"Vesta Dream BEAST!" Sailor Vesta yelled. Instantly, a flock of crows began to fly around the edge of his shield, cawing, pecking, and clawing.

"Juno Slashing VINES!" Sailor Juno yelled. Her vines began to attack the base of his shield.

"Pallas Torrential DOWNPOUR!" Sailor Pallas cried, attacking the top of his shield and attempting to wear it down.

"Ceres Flower ILLUSION!" Sailor Ceres cried, tossing her hands towards the open hall between Luna and Super Sailor Pluto. She frowned as her illusion failed to appear. Super Sailor Pluto was still quite obviously standing in front of the Doors. "What?" she asked in shock.

"Mercury Melodic SPRAY!" A spray of chiming ice crystals flew from Super Sailor Mercury's hands towards the middle of his shield, concentrating on a two foot diameter circle on the right side.

King Wisp looked curiously at the crows, then the ice crystals, and then turned his disappointed eyes back to the unconscious grey cat. King Necro ignored the attacks all together.

Feeling as if she were moving against a strong force field, Super Sailor Pluto moved her staff back to it's defensive position. Glancing at her beloved friend, she took a deep breath. "Pluto Time LOOP!" she called as loudly as she could.

From the Garnet Orb on the top of her staff, a thick ribbon of black light edged with glowing garnet began to unwind. Slowly, it bobbed and wove its way across the hall towards the orange-haired man. It dodged around the unconscious Diana and bounced over the frozen Luna.

"Rainbow Moon Heart-ACHE!" Super Sailor Moon yelled, spinning her Moon Rod and throwing her attack at King Necro's unprotected left side.

King Necro's eyes widened in shock as he felt his shield collapse yet again. Frantically, he made the last few passes with his wand and spat out the last words to the spell.

King Wisp jumped and wailed as several of Super Sailor Mercury's ice crystals tore into his arm. He yelled again as one of Sailor Juno's vines wrapped around his ankle and pulled him down. He flailed his arms as he fell, knocking into his partner. By chance, he pushed King Necro out of the way of Super Sailor Pluto's attack. The dark ribbon of light caught at his wrist and suddenly pulled tight. His eyes widened as in his mind he began to repeatedly cycle through his entire life.

Dancing to keep on his feet, King Necro somehow managed to complete his spell. Not waiting to see if it were effective, he dodged Sailor Vesta's crows, and teleported himself and King Wisp to safety.

Gritting her teeth against a sudden, tearing pain in her right arm, Super Sailor Pluto ground the staff into the floor of the hall. "Mercury... Quick!..." she gasped holding her staff tightly. "Trace them..."

Super Sailor Mercury was already typing furiously into her computer. The dark black and garnet ribbon continued to spin out from the Garnet Orb.

Super Sailor Moon cast an uncertain glance at Super Sailor Pluto, and then ran quickly to her fallen cat. "Diana. Diana!" she called, gently gathering the limp grey animal up into her arms.

"Di... a... na..." Luna choked, forcing herself to her feet. She collapsed again with a cry as two of her paws disappeared.

Super Sailor Moon quickly looked up. "No! Luna!" she cried, rising quickly to her feet. "Luna! Hold on! Don't go! Luna. Luna!"

Vital's heart leapt with excitement as he heard in real life the voice that had been haunting him the past few weeks. He came to a halt behind the four senshi he had been trying to follow, and then slipped around them into the room. His eyes widened as he saw a beautiful pink-haired senshi dressed in white with a cascade of miniskirts tinted with yellow, green, purple, and navy blue in the middle of the room desperately clutching two cats. "Luna, please..." he heard her sob again.

Gently, she laid the grey cat down, then rose with the black one in her arms and turned to face the senshi with the black miniskirt who held a giant, key-shaped staff. Quickly she crossed the hall to stand in front of her.

"Pluto..." she choked. "Did he...? Are you...?" She gasped as Super Sailor Pluto swallowed a scream, and a portion of her side disappeared. "Oh, Puu..." Super Sailor Moon choked back another sob. "I'm sorry, Puu... I should have gotten here faster. Puu..."

Super Sailor Pluto shook her head gently as tears rolled down her face. "No, Small Lady... It's... It's not your fault... Don't... don't cry..." The green-haired senshi collapsed to her knees, somehow keeping her staff upright.

"Puu!" Quickly, Super Sailor Moon scrubbed her hand across her face. "Pluto, please... Take Luna." Gently, she held out the cat who had already half faded away.

Super Sailor Pluto's eyes widened as she saw the black cat. "Luna?" She slid her hands down her staff, and then crooked an arm to make a nest for her fallen friend.

"She was in the way of the spell," Super Sailor Moon said as she gently laid Luna in the offered spot. "Just like... Just like Artemis."

Super Sailor Pluto's hands clenched tightly on her staff as a portion of her leg disappeared. She choked back another scream, and nodded. "I... I will protect her... She... will be... safe..."

Vital stared helplessly as the girl he had been searching for began to cry once more, and the senshi that she apparently loved dearly began to fade even more.

"The Doors..." Super Sailor Pluto said suddenly, and then screamed. Quickly, she bit it off. "The... Doors... Can't... be left... unguarded..."

"I will watch them for you," he said impulsively, suddenly stepping forward. "I will take up your post, Sailor Pluto."

All of the senshi turned and stared at him in surprise. "Vital-san!" Sailor Pallas breathed in disbelief. "Where did _you_ come from!"

As her four guardians ran across the hall to gather protectively around her, Super Sailor Moon raised her hands to her lips in shock. "He... Helios?"

"At last..." Super Sailor Pluto sighed. Inside, her heart jumped for joy as she recognized both the man and the power that he held. Her young friend's love had finally been found. "At last... you have... come..."


	25. Chapter 25 Moonlight Romance

_Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from "CardCaptor Sakura". They are all owned by the ladies of CLAMP who are much more talented than I. (smile) I also do not own anyone from "Sailor Moon". They are all owned by Takeuchi Naoko whose vision will live eternally. (smile) (Much to Elflina's dismay...) All other characters are my own. Feel free to steal them._

_I do not hold chapters ransom for reviews, but I sure appreciate compliments, constructive criticism, and grammatical corrections. So if you feel like it, please press that little review button, and let me know what you think. _

_A new reviewer! Welcome, Sakura Blossom-Cilla-85! (wink) Well, yes, Time of course... But it was a little difficult to come up with a second Card. Not as difficult as Venus' whole combo was, of course, but difficult. You'll have to wait a little longer to see what it is. And hello to Taeniaea and Miss Takin. Haha, I take it you finally figured out why Luna didn't disappear when Serenity did? Or was it something else you figured out? Here's the next chapter!_

_My very first attempt at a songfic. Please be gentle... smile_

_

* * *

_

_Used completely, 100 percent, totally without permission from anyone. The version used below is is my interpretation of the song "Double Moonlight Romance" based on translations I have seen and my interpretation of the "world" and situation. Primarily, I was influenced by Ken Yuen's fansub translation and by Andrew Floyd (assisted by Bruce Clark)'s translation as shown on the website Musical Moon._

_Performed by ChibiUsa, Pegasus, Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion (Shirai Tamaki Dia, Enomoto Yuuta (uncredited), Ohyama ANZA, Mochizuki Yuuta)_

_Original written by Pretty Soldier SAILORMOON Musical SuperS songwriter. If anyone can identify (lyricist, not composer), please let me know (private e-mail okay) so that I can give proper credit. Thanks! And enjoy! - Raya_

**Moonlit Sakura**

Chapter 25 - Moonlight Romance

"At last..." Super Sailor Pluto sighed. Inside, her heart jumped for joy as she recognized both the man and the power that he held. Her young friend's love had finally been found.. "At last... you have... come..." She closed her eyes and dug deep inside for the strength to slow down the enemy's spell. A faint bubble surrounded her, and time within that bubble began to slow down. '_Can't hold it... for long..._' she thought to herself as the pain from his spell and the Time Loop attack continued to drain her strength.

_Helios through Pegasus:** "At last I've met her! A Maiden with beautiful dreams! Protected by the light of the moon, the Princess who will become a soldier... You're the one I've searched for, Yet I believed we'd meet. Until we met, I was a little anxious. Like fog, it hangs around my wings."**_

Super Sailor Moon stared at Vital in shock. For just a moment, her heart leapt with joy in spite of the tragedy that was occurring. '_You're here_,' she thought to herself as fresh tears began to pour down her face. "You're finally here," she whispered. "I knew you would come."

"Sailor Moon?" Sailor Ceres asked uncertainly as she and her fellow guardians gave their princess puzzled looks. "Do you know this guy?" Her gaze hardened as she switched it back to the unexpected intruder. Belatedly, Vital remembered Pallas' warning. He tensed nervously as he looked at the senshi surrounding him.

"Of course," his angel said softly. "Of course I know him. What's gotten into you guys?" she asked as she looked around at her protective friends.

"They don't remember," Super Sailor Mercury said as she walked across the hall to stand beside Vital. "None of them do. And you are in danger, remember?" She turned to face the nervous, confused man and gave him a gentle smile. "We've been searching for you. I'm so glad you have finally come."

"Umm… Yeah," he replied uncertainly. He looked again towards Super Sailor Moon and felt his heart clench at the disappointment in her eyes.

"You… You don't remember?" she asked, wrapping her arms around herself. "You don't remember Elysian? Or Neherenia? Pegasus? Or… Or…" Deep inside, she felt the relief drain away and the loneliness return.

"Elysian?" Sailor Pallas asked as her voice died out. "He was from Elysian? You mean, he is…"

Super Sailor Mercury glanced down at her screen to check the status of the tracking program then nodded. "Like you four, he was protected by the Moon until he was reborn. He should be the Tuxedo Mask we have been searching for."

Ignoring the four surprised guardians, Vital walked across the room and gently laid his hands on Sailor Moon's shoulders. "I'm sorry I don't remember," he said softly looking into her sad, dark pink eyes. "But I heard you. All the way across the world, I heard you call to me, and I came. I'm here. How can I help?"

_ChibiUsa: **""Maiden?" Yes, I am truly one. I'm too happy to be scared. I didn't know you were this beautiful! But after seeing you, I feel I already know you. Why?"**_

'_So beautiful…_' Vital thought to himself as he waited for her answer. '_I never believed she'd be so beautiful… Yet, strong. Very strong… Why do I think that?_'

"Please, Maiden, let me help," he heard himself beg softly. "You've been crying so long… Felt so hopeless… That's not like you." As she gasped in shock, he drew back a little and shook his head in surprise. '_How…_?' he thought uncertainly, but knowing somehow that he spoke the truth.

Quickly, Super Sailor Moon reached up and caught his hands. She held on tightly as she stared searchingly into his wine colored eyes once more. Inside, the fog of hurt and loneliness lifted again. "Maiden? You want to help me?" she asked softly.

He felt himself drown in her eyes once more. "Yes… I _need_ to help you. What can I do? I'm… I'm not much of a fighter." His face brightened as he remembered why Pallas had brought him to the palace in the first place. "I can translate that curse!" And then it fell again. "But, I can't reverse it. I can only tell you roughly what he is saying."

_Duet 1: **"This is our destiny. Now it begins. Here, the past and future are connected. We can repeat our Moonlight Romance. Woo..."**_

Super Sailor Moon smiled, as Super Sailor Mercury and Super Sailor Pluto exchanged bright glances. "That will help. And if you will take Pluto's place here at the Doors, that will help, too. We can't leave them unguarded," she replied.

"The Doors?" he asked uncertainly.

"The Doors of Time," she replied unthinkingly. Around her, her four young friends gasped in shock at her openness. "They must be guarded to ensure that we are not invaded from another time or dimension."

Vital shifted nervously. "What can I do to stop them? Will I be provided with weapons or something?"

"How about an old comrade?" Super Sailor Moon asked impulsively. As he looked uncertainly at her, she smiled wider at the plan which had appeared in her mind. "Trust me. Close your eyes," she commanded gently, closing her own.

As the senshi watched curiously, a pink glow began to surround the couple. From their joined hands, pink-gold energy began to radiate in streaks. Suddenly, the streaks combined into a ball of energy above their hands. Gently, it wafted over towards the Doors until it came to a stop beside Super Sailor Pluto. It grew as tall as Vital, and then burst with a shower of bright sparkles, leaving behind a white winged unicorn.

Pegasus whickered gently as it shook its wings and pawed at the floor with a front hoof. The sound caused Super Sailor Moon to grin. She opened her eyes and spun around to greet her old friend without letting go of Vital's hands. "Pegasus!"

Super Sailor Pluto and Super Sailor Mercury smiled as the younger senshi gasped in surprise. As she turned back to face Vital, Super Sailor Moon's eyes grew big. "Tux… Tuxedo Mask?" she gasped.

With a spurt of jealousy, Vital turned his eyes away from the winged unicorn, and turned to look for the hero his Maiden had been waiting for. As he turned, the cloak which had appeared around his shoulders swirled. The tug caught his attention, and his eyes widened as he saw that his clothes had changed.

Sailor Ceres rubbed her eyes in disbelief, while Sailor Juno pinched herself. Sailor Pallas and Sailor Vesta just stared at the transformed man with amazement. The ordinary, good looking man they had met just a few moments ago was gone. In his place, an equally handsome man dressed in a formal white tuxedo stood. His cummerbund and the lining of his white cape were a rich, glowing, wheaten gold. A white top hat sat on top of his silver-gold hair, and a mask which appeared to be made of feathers covered most of his face and accentuated his wine dark eyes.

Blinking uncertainly, Tuxedo Mask turned to look at Super Sailor Moon. As he did, his transformation faded away.

Super Sailor Moon tilted her head to one side and returned his uncertain look. Then, she turned her puzzled look to Super Sailor Mercury, whose smile of satisfaction became one of reassurance.

'_I was right. Mako-chan will owe me a dinner..._' the Senshi of Water thought happily to herself. "He hasn't awoken quite enough, yet," she replied to her princess' unspoken question. "He will, though. Don't worry. And if Pluto agrees, he should be strong enough to stand watch here for a short while and warn us of any impending danger."

* * *

_Princess Serenity: **"When we stand in the moonlight I remember, a love from before I was born."**_

_Prince Endymion: **"A gentle feeling I can't stop comes over me when I think about you. Why?"**_

Serenity gasped, and then smiled. Around her, her friends turned quickly to face her, alert for danger. Serenity ignored them, and caught her husband's eyes.

"Small Lady..." she said breathlessly. "I can feel her. She is so happy!"

"She is?" "You can?" "What has happened?" "Where is she?" "Small Lady?" As her friends called out surprised questions, Serenity felt herself getting lost in Endymion's dark blue eyes. The joy she felt from her daughter was unmistakable, and she felt a matching joy well up within her.

King Endymion gave his wife a puzzled look, but the expression in her eyes quickly distracted him and made him forget his own questions. He felt his breath catch, and slowly he lifted a hand to her. Smiling gently, she placed her hand in his.

_Duet 2: **"This is our destiny. It begins again. Here, the past and future are connected. We can repeat our Moonlight Romance."**_

Super Sailor Venus stared at them, caught up in their glow of love. Super Sailor Neptune and Super Sailor Uranus turned to give each other an amused look. Super Sailor Saturn cocked her head to one side as a hopeful expression began to dawn on her face. Super Sailor Jupiter and Super Sailor Mars rolled their eyes, sighed, and exchanged amused sympathetic looks.

"Hello..." Super Sailor Mars called out teasingly. "Excuse us... Serenity? King Endymion-sama? Hello...? You were going to tell us how you could suddenly feel Small Lady and why she was so happy?"

Before the enraptured couple could turn to reply, a small tremor ran through the world. King Endymion quickly steadied his wife, while their friends fought to keep their feet. Glancing around fearfully, they spied a small black object laying near the Dark Twin.

Serenity's eyes opened wide, and she rushed over to the sleeping figure. A small white blur passed her and arrived first. "Luna?" Artemis called gently as he anxiously touched his nose to his mate's dark head.

"Oh Luna," Serenity echoed as she collapsed to her knees beside the feline couple. Tentatively, she reached out her hands, and then drew them back as Artemis nuzzled her adviser again. Unconscious, Luna did not respond.

Suddenly, the world trembled again more violently. With wide, sad eyes, the friends looked around to see which comrade was coming to join them in their mysterious prison.

* * *

Just as Super Sailor Mercury's computer began to beep for attention, Super Sailor Pluto screamed loudly and let her Time Staff fall to the ground. She hunched over as her abdomen and chest disappeared.

"Pluto..." Super Sailor Moon moaned, clenching again at Vital's hands. Gently, he put an arm around her shoulder and tried to comfort her.

"I've got it! We found them, Pluto!" Super Sailor Mercury called as the Guardian of Time disappeared from their sight. "Pluto..." Desperately, she wondered if the older senshi had heard her and knew that her sacrifice had paid off.

Sailor Ceres, Sailor Juno, Sailor Pallas, and Sailor Vesta all gathered together and tried to comfort each other. Tentatively, Sailor Ceres broke away from the group and stepped towards her princess.

She stopped as Super Sailor Moon suddenly turned, buried her face in Vital's chest, and began to sob harshly. Gently, he wrapped his arms around her and rocked her. He stared in shock at the post which had now become his.

"May your soul be wiped from this plane, and all traces vanish..." he whispered in shock. Then, his face hardened. "No. There has to be a way. A way to bring the banished souls back." His arms tightened protectively around his maiden.

* * *

The world shook violently once more. Suddenly, a flash of black light blinded them. As their sight cleared, the senshi noted three new figures in the distance.

"Pluto..." Serenity said softly as King Endymion gently placed an arm around her shoulders.

_Quartet: **"Moonlight Romance Moonlight Romance, Woo."**_


	26. Chapter 26 Connections

_Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from "CardCaptor Sakura". They are all owned by the ladies of CLAMP who are much more talented than I. (smile) I also do not own anyone from "Sailor Moon". They are all owned by Takeuchi Naoko whose vision will live eternally. (smile) (Much to Elflina's dismay...) All other characters are my own. Feel free to steal them._

_I do not hold chapters ransom for reviews, but I sure appreciate compliments, constructive criticism, and grammatical corrections. So if you feel like it, please press that little review button, and let me know what you think. _

_Wow, I'm on a roll with five whole reviews for chapter 25! Thanks, everyone! Greetings to Taeniaea, aserene, Miss Takin, Sakura Blossom-Cilla-85, and yaoifanboy. (smile) Here's a CCS chapter for you, but I'm afraid there's no Touya and that we'll be going back to the senshi again for a little while. Don't worry. We have some good Sakura chapters coming up! And I hope Yuki will do in place of Touya (wink). And today, we get to find out Pluto's combination. Haha, don't forget ChibiUsa's combination, Sakura Blossom-Cilla-85.  
_

_A-a-and... I've been added to a C2 group. Wow. Thanks! (grin) It helped me find a very good XXXholic/CCS/HP fanfic author! I spent all night reading her(?) work. Wonderful. (wink) And a really good Touya story over there... _

_And welcome to X00001! I hope you make it to this chapter. Thanks for reviewing! And now, enjoy, minna! Another update tomorrow night, and then I'm off for the weekend... - Raya_

**Moonlit Sakura**

Chapter 26 – Connections

Quietly, Sakura let herself into the nursery on the roof of Tamano's Greenhouses and Flower Shop. Breathing shallowly, she looked around until she spotted a familiar silver head in the far corner by a stand of trees. She smiled with relief as she quickly crossed the garden to stand beside him.

"Sakura-chan? What brings you here?" Yukito asked in surprise as she came to a stop beside him.

"Hi, Yukito-san. I, um, wanted to talk to you," she replied breathlessly. Tentatively, she took a deeper breath. When she realized that there weren't any strong scents around, she relaxed with a sigh and began to breathe normally. Yukito watched her curiously, waiting for her to continue.

"Um, well, you see…," she continued a little nervously as she played with a strap on her book bag. "It's about scent magic. A few weeks ago, Kero told me that scents can play a big part in magic, but he didn't tell me much more than that. He said that you or Shaoran-kun would be teaching me that."

Yukito turned back to his potting task with a nod. "Yes, scents can play a big part in magic. Some magicians use them to enhance their focus or energy. You've never seemed to need that additional boost, so we decided to postpone talking about it. Is there some reason you are worried about it?"

Sakura nodded, then placed her book bag on the table, reached out ,and handed him some more soil for the pot. "I just realized a little while ago… Every time one of the Cards has changed I've been around some strong scent. In fact, the first one didn't change until I started burning the aromatherapy candles to help me to sleep. That's when Kero got concerned."

"Hmm…" Yukito nodded with a frown. "Strong scents are involved in the changes? You always smell a strong scent before the Cards change? Or the Cards change whenever you smell a strong scent?"

Sakura shook her head as she shifted out of his way. Gently, he lowered a full pot of ornamental grass from the table to the floor. She watched as he pushed it over next to a row of similar pots. "No, not that exactly…" she said as she lifted a new pot up onto the table for filling. "It's like… For the first Card, Moon/Purity. I was having trouble sleeping, so I lit some soothing aromatherapy candles. Some sort of jasmine mix, I think it was."

She reached into her book bag and quickly withdrew a small bag. "I brought some samples," she said holding the bag out to her Guardian. He turned away from the pot he was beginning to fill, dusted the soil off of his hands, and accepted the bag. Sakura held her breath as he opened it, looked inside, and took a deep breath. Giving her a gentle smile, he re-closed the bag.

"Really strong jasmine, a bit of rose, some lavender, sweet woodruff, and cinnamon. What an interesting blend," he said sounding amused.

"Oh, I only burned the jasmine, rose, and lavender one first," Sakura said hurriedly. "I didn't burn the cinnamon one or the other until later when I was trying to study. That's when Sun/Life and Fire/War transformed."

"Hmm…" he said again as he put the bag down and turned to pick up another small mass of grass to put in the pot.

"Then, when Silent and Erase merged and created Death/Destruction, Shaoran-kun had just given me a bouquet of mimosas. There was something else, too…" she said as she creased her forehead in thought. "An incense… Oh yeah. Myrhh. Wei-san was apparently using it for a ritual or something and the smell was all in Shaoran-kun's clothes."

"Death… Myrhh… That makes sense," Yukito said softly as he added soil to the pot. Once again, Sakura moved to help him. "What was the next one?"

"That was when we did the Card reading and Shield covered Woody," she replied. "Remember? Shaoran-kun was burning that star anise."

"That was when we had that Indian tea, too, right?" he asked as he glanced at her. She nodded. "That had some pretty strong flavors and scents, too. Hmm… I remember cloves the most…"

"Hu-e?" she asked curiously. "Oh, that's right… I did put a little too much clove in that time, didn't I," she said with a bit of embarrassment.

"It tasted fine," Yukito said reassuringly as he gave her a gentle smile. "So, what was next? So far, we have Jasmine for Moon/Purity, Cinnamon Spice and Sweet Woodruff for Sun/Life and Fire/War, Mimosa and Myrrh for Death/Destruction, and Star Anise and Clove for Strength/Protection…"

"Metal/Beauty was next. What do I remember most…" she asked herself reflectively. In her mind, she went back to the garden and saw the pond with the gazebo. "Apple… Rose…"

She jumped as Yukito lifted the full pot off of the table and took it over to its place in line. "Hmm… After that… Spearmint, sweet pea, sakura, water lilies… Those must have been associated with Wind/Rebellion and Water/Affinity," she added as he walked back to the table. "And that's it. So far…"

"Hmm…" Yukito said quietly as he put a tall pot on a wheeled platform and moved it beside the table.

Sakura watched anxiously as he began to put dirt in it. "Well?" she prompted when he didn't say anything more.

He gave her a quick smile. "I was just running through associations in my mind," he replied calmly. "Jasmine is associated with the Moon. That's a pretty obvious one. Cinnamon Spice is usually associated with Sun or Mars. Sweet Woodruff is associated with Mars, too, as is fire and war. And since Mimosas and Myrrh are both associated with Saturn, I'd say we have a trend going. Something to do with the planets."

Sakura stared at him wide-eyed as he lifted a tall sapling into the pot and then split the burlap around its root ball. "So… Star Anise and Clove?"

"Jupiter, I believe. That would make sense with Strength. Apple and Rose are both associated with Venus and Beauty. The only thing is… The standard planetary scent associations only go up to Saturn. The three outer planets, Neptune, Uranus, and Pluto, weren't discovered when these associations were being made."

"So…" Sakura said reflectively. She leaned over to steady the tree so Yukito could use both hands to put more soil in the pot. As she stood there, she let her mind wander around the information that he had given her. "Well… Water Lilies would be associated with Water, right? And water is associated with Mercury…"

Yukito flashed her a smile. "Yes, that's true. But Mercury has official associations. Water could also stand for Neptune, who is the Sea King. Sweet Peas are associated with Air. Uranus is the Sky King, so that might be a link as well. Wind, Air, Sky, Uranus…"

Sakura nodded with a smile. It faded though as another thought occurred to her. "But… What do the planets have to do with anything?" She and Yukito exchanged uncertain looks.

"Hmm… Good question," the guardian replied with a nod. "It's the common link, but how does it help…"

Sakura suddenly stiffened with a gasp. A dark light emanated from her book bag, bathing the entire area like a blacklight, and then faded. Sakura trembled as she stared at her bag with wide eyes.

"Sakura-chan?" Yukito asked with concern.

Slowly, she released the sapling and walked over to her bag. She pulled out the Sakura Book, opened it, and looked for the newly changed Card. Yukito dusted off his hands as he stood and joined her. He looked at her with concern as she found it and slowly raised it up.

"So sad, yet happy…," she muttered softly as she stared at Sand and the little black cat who had covered Time. "Time. Revolution." She blinked, and then focused her eyes on her silver guardian. "Revolution as in things going around and around, not as in war. Spinning… No… Cycling. But… I didn't smell anything this time…"

Yukito looked over at the sapling they had been planting together, and then at the ornamental grass she had helped him plant. "Which ones are left?" he asked softly.

"Hu-e?" she asked uncertainly.

"Which planets are left?" he asked again, still looking at the plants.

Curiously, she looked over her shoulder to see what he found so interesting. "Either Neptune or Mercury and Pluto. Why?"

Yukito sighed softly, and then moved to stand by the tree. "This is a cypress tree. It was sacred to Pluto." Sakura's eyes widened at this information. "And that grass… It's vetiver grass. Its roots are used to make an oil that has a smoky, darkish scent. One that would be appropriate for Pluto: King of the Underworld."

Once again, the two friends exchanged looks. "But… What does it MEAN?" Sakura asked again, almost wailing.

Yukito blinked, and then smiled. "Well… I can think of one thing at least…"

"What!" his mistress asked excitedly.

"There's only one planet left. That means only two more Cards to merge." '_Unless… Unless the ancient planets are included as well…_' he thought to himself. He kept this thought quiet, though, as he saw the relief and hope that lit his friend's face.


	27. Chapter 27 Unraveling Threads

_Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from "CardCaptor Sakura". They are all owned by the ladies of CLAMP who are much more talented than I. (smile) I also do not own anyone from "Sailor Moon". They are all owned by Takeuchi Naoko whose vision will live eternally. (smile) (Much to Elflina's dismay...) All other characters are my own. Feel free to steal them._

_I do not hold chapters ransom for reviews, but I sure appreciate compliments, constructive criticism, and grammatical corrections. So if you feel like it, please press that little review button, and let me know what you think. _

_Sorry, all, no time to acknowledge reviewers. I'll get you all next time, 'kay? Enjoy the nice long chapter and all the lovely revelations... (smile) - Raya_

**Moonlit Sakura**

Chapter 27 – Unraveling Threads

"Yes!" Ami hissed as the central computer beeped and flashed a green light. "Got you!"

"Where?" Pallas asked eagerly, leaning forward with narrowed eyes to look at the screen.

"The jungles of western Brazil," the older woman replied, typing refinement commands rapidly into the computer. "Very close to some pinpoint power signatures left by Neptune and Uranus."

"Brazil...?" the younger girl repeated softly. "That wouldn't be the _Amazon_ jungle in Brazil by any chance, would it?"

"Hmm?" Ami turned to look at her questioningly. "Yes… Why?"

"Vital-san said that that language was from a prehistoric kingdom that used to occupy the Amazon jungle…, including the section of Brazil where his grandmother was raised!" Pallas replied with shining eyes.

"Another link!" Ami said with a smile. Suddenly, she paused. "The Amazon… I wonder…" In her mind, an old, old memory resurfaced.

_Four ghostly-yet-solid teenage senshi floated above their star seeds. "We were still supposed to be asleep deep in the Amazon…" Sailor Ceres, formerly known as CereCere of the Dead Moon Circus' Amazon Quartet, said softly as she closed her eyes sadly. "But Neherenia sensed the power of the stars. Her curse forced us awake . We were enslaved in the Dead Moon Nightmare..."(1)_

"What?" Pallas asked curiously with a tilt of her head.

Abruptly, Ami shook her head. "Nothing important. Just another possible link that we won't be able to confirm any time soon." As the younger girl opened her mouth to question her further, Ami raised a hand and twitched a finger at her. "I won't tell, so give up now. You'll have to figure it out on your own."

Knowing her mentor's stubbornness, Pallas sat back with her arms crossed and pouted a little. "Can't you even give me a hint?" she begged.

Ami thought for a moment then smiled wickedly. "Somnial Cognition."

"Huh? What's somnial cognition?" Pallas asked relaxing out of her pout and tilting her head to one side curiously.

"That's your hint," Ami replied teasingly. "Stew over it in the back of your mind for now. We need to go speak with Vital-san and see if he has that curse translated for us yet," she added as she rose.

"Meanie…" Pallas said softly with a teasing glance as she stood up as well. "Somnial cognition… somnial cognition… Something to do with sleep and understanding… Understanding sleep? That can't be it…"

A few minutes later, the two remaining water senshi walked into the hall where Vital stood guard over the Doors of Time. They paused and smiled as they heard Bessa giving instructions in a strained, patient voice. Although they could see Vital clearly, all they could see of Bessa was her hair, the very top of her head, her legs, and her boots on the other side of Pegasus.

"No, no… Not like that! You have to lean into it a little. If you don't, you won't get anything more than the surface dust off. No! Not _that _hard," she yelped as Pegasus shifted away and turned to snap at Vital. "I said a little. A _little_! How would you like it if someone dug a brush hard into _your_ shoulder? There, there, Pegasus," she crooned trying to calm down the restive unicorn. "It's all right. He'll get it eventually… Easy, boy…"

"Um… Excuse us…" Pallas called lightly. "Can we interrupt the lesson on The Care and Grooming of Mythical Flying Beasts for a few minutes?"

Bessa stood up on her tiptoes and peered over Pegasus' back with sparkling, apple red eyes. "If you must," she called in a teasing, grudging voice. Vital sighed softly with relief. "Pegasus could probably use the break anyway," she added with a teasing glance at him, causing him to wince.

"What can we do for you ladies?" he asked as he stepped around to stand by Pegasus' head. Absently, he reached up and began to stroke the winged unicorn's jaw. Pegasus' eyes began to close in pleasure. With secret amusement, Ami wondered if it was because of Vital's caress, or because Bessa had begun brushing him rhythmically and expertly.

"We were wondering if you had had a chance to translate that curse for us yet," Ami said with a smile. "I know it has only been a couple of hours, but we need to move quickly."

"Yeah, it's about time we were able to surprise _him_ for a change," Bessa muttered with angry expectation. Pallas and Ami nodded in agreement.

"Mm…," Vital said, shifting a little uneasily. "Well, I can translate what I've heard, but I haven't done the whole thing yet. Pallas-chan didn't leave the disc or headphones for me, and then Bessa-san started in on how to care for Pegasus, and…" He trailed off with a shrug.

Pallas blinked in shock then hung her head sheepishly as her face flushed with embarrassment. "I… I didn't, did I? I'm sorry."

Ami gave a very soft sigh then shook her head. "It's all right, Pallas-chan. We were both distracted by getting to the main computer as quickly as we could to confirm the trace. Do you have it now?"

"Yes," the powder-blue haired girl said, quickly taking off her portable head set. She unplugged the headphones from the jack then pressed play. As the melodic, yet strangely harsh syllables sounded in the hall, Pegasus jerked his head up, flared his wings, and backed away snorting. Bessa yelped as she was hit by one of the wings and sent flying into the Doors.

"Whoa! Whoa, boy!" Vital called out, trying to calm his new partner.

"Bessa-chan? Bessa-chan, are you all right?" Pallas cried out worriedly as she tried to skirt gingerly around the shifting unicorn.

As the disc continued to play, Pegasus became even more agitated. He began to dance in place, waving his wings, and occasionally rearing just a little to kick out with his two front hooves. He continued to snort, and grumble, obviously upset by something. Pallas shivered a little as she felt his anger begin to roll off of him in waves. He kept his eyes fixed on her which unnerved her even more.

Ami quickly turned to the main doorway into the hall and began to scan the area looking for intruders. Warily, she kept one eye on Pegasus as the computer ran through its surveillance modes.

By the Doors, Bessa huddled down and tried to avoid Pegasus' sharp hooves. "I'm all right," she called reassuringly to her friend. "Hey, he doesn't seem to like you or something. Back off a bit," she called again as she narrowly jerked her ankle out from under Pegasus' back hoof.

"But, but why?" Pallas asked, puzzled and a little hurt. Trusting her friend's instincts, however, she backed off towards the hall door. Pegasus turned with her, moving away from Bessa. Pallas frowned as she realized this, and shivered again. "He liked me fine earlier," she said plaintively.

"I don't know," Bessa replied as she gingerly stood up with the help of the Doors. "Maybe it's your scent or something."

"No…" Vital said suddenly, looking towards Pallas. "Turn off the disc."

"What?" she asked looking at him blankly.

"The disc. Turn it off. He didn't start this until that started playing," Vital responded urgently, trying once more to get close to Pegasus without getting stepped on or slapped by a powerful wing.

"Worth a shot, I suppose," she replied uncertainly as she turned off the player. Almost immediately, Pegasus began to calm down. He still glared at her, but he began to still and let Vital stroke his neck. Pallas looked at them in surprise, and then down at her disc player again. "I don't believe it… It worked… But why?"

"Maybe it gives off some frequency that hurts his ears," Bessa suggested as she cautiously made her way around the Doors' temporary guardians. Moving smoothly and slowly to avoid startling him again, she came around to stand beside Pallas.

Ami shook her head slowly. "No…, I don't think that's it," she said as she closed her computer and studied the winged unicorn. "Vital-san, watch out. Pallas-chan, Bessa-chan, be on your toes. Pallas-chan, turn the disc back on."

Giving Ami a curious look, Pallas waited for Vital to move out of the way then hit play once more. Immediate, the angry fire in Pegasus' eyes flared up, and he mantled his wings. She turned it off again quickly.

"See," Bessa said with more than a trace of triumph in her voice. It wasn't often that she was right and Ami or Pallas was wrong. "It's something about the player." She started as Pegasus snorted and shook his head.

Ami smiled. "No, it's not. Is it Pegasus? It's not the player…" Pegasus shook his head rapidly again. "It's what's on the disc." As the three observers watched incredulously, Pegasus nodded his big, white head up and down.

"You… You mean, he can understand it, too?" Pallas asked in a disbelieving voice.

Ami nodded as Pegasus snorted again. "Here," she said as she re-opened her computer and typed a few commands. "Here's your proof. You notice he hasn't reacted at all to my computer's operation. But, when I play back one of the captured tracks…" King Necro's voice began to issue from her micro-computer, and Pegasus began to snort and dance angrily once more. Ami stopped the playback.

"He does," Vital said, convinced. "Incredible…"

Quickly, Pallas put her player down on the ground, took two steps closer to Pegasus, and bowed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you," she said as her listeners looked on with varying degrees of amusement and surprise. "It's not me," she added. "I'm not trying to curse anyone. We are just trying to get Vital-san to translate it for us so we can rescue our friends." She looked into Pegasus' dark indigo eyes with all the sincerity she could project. "Please, we have to play it."

Bessa shook her head. "Pallas-chan, he may recognize the sounds, but he's just a flying horse with a horn. He can't really understand you…" She broke off suddenly, and Pegasus swung to look at her with his intelligent eyes. He tossed his head and danced towards her, his entire stance showing his indignation. Her eyes got wider, and she quickly held up her hands as she backed up a few steps. "Sorry! Sorry! I guess you are intelligent after all. Forget I said anything!"

Pegasus tossed his head, as if to say "So there," and then backed up to stand by Vital once more. He turned to look at Pallas again, studied her a moment, and then nodded his head deliberately.

"Thank you," she said with a small smile. She turned around, picked up her disc player then turned to face Vital and Pegasus again. "Okay, I've reset it back to the beginning. Here we go."

Once again, the strange, harsh, yet melodic words began to sound in the hall. Pegasus shifted irritably and tossed his head, but stayed relatively calm over all. Vital grimaced and began to translate.

"Like the Sun and Moon / By eternal darkness swallowed / Be gone/ May all knowledge be lost. / May all beauty flow away. / Life be gone. / Passion die. / Illusions fade. / May weakness enter in/ And memories vanish like fog. / No attraction remain/ Nor repulsion. / All cycles ceasing / As Night triumphs. / May your soul be wiped from this plane/ and all traces vanish. / Be gone!" He paused a minute, listening intently, and then spoke again. "It just seems to repeat after that. Nothing new."

Bessa and Pallas shivered a little as he recited the death spell. Ami looked serious as she typed the translation into her computer.

"How horrible."

Everyone in the hall started, and looked towards the far door. Lady stood there, dressed in a dark pink corduroy jumper over a printed white tee shirt. The darkness of the dress emphasized the light pink of her hair and the unnatural paleness of her face. In her arms, she cradled the still unconscious Diana. "To be so thoroughly removed," she added looking a little sick. "All traces,... even memories…" Behind her, June and Celeste looked disturbed as well.

"It didn't work," Ami said quickly in a reassuring tone. "We still remember them. And not just us, the whole world still remembers. Other traces haven't vanished either." She chewed on her lower lip, studying her princess who didn't look very reassured.

"That's because… it's not… complete," Celeste said haltingly, looking uncertain.

"What?" Ami asked immediately turning to look at the leader of younger senshi. "Not complete?" she added in a gentler voice as she saw the younger girl start. "Why do you say that?"

"It just feels… incomplete. Like there's supposed to be something more… I don't know!" Celeste said abruptly, shaking it off. "I can't explain it any better," she added apologetically.

"She's right," Pallas said a little tentatively. "There's supposed to be something more. Something… gentle? Like mist?"

"Warm...? Like a campfire...?" Bessa added looking thoughtful.

"Reassuring? Like a strong arm...?" June tossed in very tentatively, thrown off by the stark contrast between what she felt came next and what she had heard.

"Bright? Like a hope?" Celeste asked, looking at Lady.

The princess just shook her head blankly. "I don't know. It doesn't sound familiar to me. It's so dark and hurtful, though. How can what comes next be nice?" Across the room, Vital nodded in agreement as he stood stroking Pegasus once more. Ami scanned the words she had just typed.

Pallas shrugged helplessly as Bessa held her hands up in an 'I don't know' gesture. "I don't know. I... I don't think it was originally meant to be so... cold or evil," Pallas said in a confused voice. "Maybe that's what was throwing me off... As Vital-san translated it, I understood every word. I don't know how, but I did."

Ami turned to look at her in surprise, and then suspicion. "Bessa-chan, did you?" she asked interrupting the younger senshi before she could continue. Bessa turned to look at her in surprise.

"No, not really, but it sounded right," she responded. June and Celeste nodded as Ami turned inquiring glances on them.

"I recognized some of the words," Celeste added, "but not all of them."

"To be honest," Vital said as the girls looked at Ami in inquiring silence. "To be honest, some of that just came to me. My grandmother didn't know nearly that much. Only the last part: May your soul be wiped from this plane, and all traces vanish. Be gone."

"It was right, though," Pallas said as she looked at Ami. "Every word was translated pretty well. I think... I think it's the evil and malice in his voice that makes it sound so bad."

Lady gave her a disbelieving look. "How can you say that? It specifically curses everything! All thought, all memory, all love..." she said disagreeing.

Pallas just shook her head helplessly in return. "That's just what I _feel_! Maybe I'm wrong, but that's the impression that comes to me."

"Easy, Pallas-chan," Celeste said soothingly. "We know that you can't explain it better than that sometimes. If you feel it that strongly, we have to believe you." Ami put a gentle hand on Pallas' shoulder and nodded agreement. Lady shifted, still not convinced, but bit her tongue before she upset Pallas more.

"Well, we have a translation. Now all we have to do is find a way to trace where our friends have gone," Ami said, trying to change the subject. "Oh, and come up with some way to get them back," she added.

"Did you confirm your trace?" Celeste asked, cautiously taking charge.

Ami nodded. "Yes, we know where he is hiding. Haruka-san and Michiru-san almost had him, or so it seems. And since there's no trace of the woman, I think they managed to get her at least. I can't confirm that, though. There are some other anomalies there: traces of energy that I can't explain," she added in a cautioning tone as Celeste nodded her acknowledgment. Celeste nodded again.

"Okay. I don't think he'll be moving soon," Celeste said looking around the group. "He's been safe there so far, and I think Pluto-san managed to get in a strong blow on that boy. So, we have time to try and trace the others."

"Besides," June said with a cold smile. "If we find and rescue them... Just imagine the look on his face." Bessa nodded with a similar smile, while Pallas looked a little intrigued. Lady just looked at Ami with a steady gaze and gently stroked the top of Diana's head.

"It won't be quite that easy," Ami said with a shake of her head. "It never is. And if it is, then it's a trap."

"May your soul be wiped from this plane…" Lady whispered with a shiver, still looking to Ami for reassurance. "What plane? Where are the other planes? How can we search them?"

"This physical plane," Vital said walking across the room to stand close to her. As he moved, her eyes shifted to follow him. "The earth. The solar system."

"The universe," Ami added seriously. "This universe, at any rate. There are no traces on the spiritual or psychic planes, either." As Lady's eyes snapped back to her full of fear and uncertainty, she smiled reassuringly. "But, there are other universes, each with their own planes."

Lady looked reassured, but June and Bessa looked more confused. "Other universes? There's only one universe," June said scrunching her forehead in thought.

"No," Pallas said before Ami could explain. "There are many universes. It's an old theory. Maybe you've heard about it? Like, somewhere out there is a universe where someone else won a particular war. There's another world out there somewhere where things are completely different because the Silver Millennium did not fall." Bessa, June, and Lady looked at her with wide eyes.

"But... But that would mean there are hundreds..., no, _thousands _of possibilities," Celeste said looking discouraged.

Ami snorted softly. "Try trillions and quadrillions and more," she said. "That's why I say it won't be so easy. And if there is a Guardian between the universes, it may be even harder."

"A Guardian?" Lady asked shifting a little closer to Vital. "Another senshi? But who?"

Ami shook her head. "I don't know. I don't even know if there is one. Pluto might know, but that is not information that she would share with us. But if there _is_ one, she is probably even more secretive and taboo-bound than Pluto. She would not appreciate us attempting to travel between the universes, even if it is to rescue our friends."

"Then, how..." Celeste trailed off, overwhelmed by the task in front of them.

"A girl with pink cards," Ami said looking at her computer.

"Huh?" the girls around her chorused.

"That was Rei-chan's clue. Somewhere out there, there is a girl with pink cards that is tied to this somehow. We have to find her."

"That's even more impossible than finding Neo-Queen Serenity-sama and the others," Celeste said with discouraged exasperation. "At least with them, we know who we're looking for!"

Ami swallowed, took a deep breath, and looked up. "No. I can find them all," she said quietly. As Vital and the Quartet looked at her with puzzled expressions, Lady paled and began to shake her head violently.

"No! You can't! I won't let you!" she cried in a tremulous voice. In her arms, Diana began to stir. She lifted her face, eyes still closed, towards Lady's as the princess continued almost desperately, beginning to sob. "We'll find another way! No more! I can't loose any more! No!" With a concerned look, Vital closed the gap between them and put a comforting arm around her shoulders.

"Lady-chan?" Celeste asked, still looking lost but a little more concerned.

Ami looked gently at her distraught princess as she confirmed what the girl had suspected. "I'll make him banish me. And then, you can trace which universe I go to." As Lady continued to sob and shake her head in denial, her friends looked at Ami in shock. Diana let out a pitiful mew, and began to gingerly rub her head on Lady's chest in an instinctive effort to comfort her. "I might even be able to lead everyone back," she added thoughtfully.

"No. I agree with Lady-chan. I won't let you do this," Celeste said firmly. "It's too risky. We'll come up with some sort of shield against that curse, defeat him, and then spend as much time as we need to find the others." Her friends nodded in agreement as Lady looked desperately towards Ami.

Gently, Ami shook her head. "This is the best way. Don't worry. You six are strong enough. You can protect the Princess and help her bring us back." She looked directly into Lady's dark pink eyes. "You are strong enough to bring us all back on your own if you need to." She smiled encouragingly. "Just shine. Shine with all the brightness of the Moon, Earth, and Sun when the time is right, and be a beacon of love and hope for us."

_(1) Written by Takeuchi Naoko and used without permission._


	28. Chapter 28 Dissipating Fog

_Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from "CardCaptor Sakura". They are all owned by the ladies of CLAMP who are much more talented than I. (smile) I also do not own anyone from "Sailor Moon". They are all owned by Takeuchi Naoko whose vision will live eternally. (smile) (Much to Elflina's dismay...) All other characters are my own. Feel free to steal them._

_I do not hold chapters ransom for reviews, but I sure appreciate compliments, constructive criticism, and grammatical corrections. So if you feel like it, please press that little review button, and let me know what you think. Acknowledgments at the bottom today. Enjoy!_

_Vital Ensoleillé means Life (Essence) of the Sun - Raya_

**Moonlit Sakura**

Chapter 28 –Dissipating Fog 

King Necro laid King Wisp's body on the makeshift bed in the temple. With a grimace of sympathy, he felt the child's rigid muscles resist all attempts to move them. The boy's eyes were glazed in shock as he stared blankly up at the stone ceiling.

"Geist isn't going to be happy about this," the older man grumbled to himself a little nervously. "Not one little bit… Blasted, useless, interfering guardians!"

After several minutes of helpless watching and shield casting, King Necro sank to the edge of the bed in relief as the boy cried out, relaxed, and curled into a fetal position with his eyes closed. Whatever attack the senshi had thrown at him had finally worn off.

Kin Necro studied the sleeping child for a few more minutes, then strengthened the shields around him and walked out into the jungle to look for more herbs, roots, and fungus.

* * *

Several hours later, Pallas sat in front of the main computer with a stony face. Celeste stood beside her, gently resting her right hand on Pallas' left shoulder. Behind them, June and Bessa flanked Vital and Lady. The room was silent as they watched Super Sailor Mercury stop at the site where Neptune and Uranus were last known to be alive.

After almost an hour of arguing, crying, and yelling, Ami had finally won. Lady had been the last hold-out. She had finally fallen silent, just begging with her dark pink eyes for Ami not to sacrifice herself in this way. Silver tears had streaked slowly down her face, wrenching at the hearts of the people around her.

Ami had walked up to her and gently drawn her into a hug, taking care not to crush Diana who had lost consciousness once again. "Small Lady. Please, no more tears. I'm not going to die. You will see us all again," she whispered reassuringly into her princess' ear. As Lady's tears smeared onto her own face, she added another request. "Please, ChibiUsa-chan. Please be strong just this one more time," she had whispered pleadingly, arms tightening around the younger girl. "Let me do my part to find them. Let me rejoin my friends…"

The others had watched as Lady's eyes grew big, and then her face crumpled. She had wrapped her left arm tightly around Ami and squeezed her back. They stood that way for a long moment, tightly wrapped in each other's embrace. And then, Lady had pulled away.

She had held her head up proudly, and with a set, emotionless face she nodded her permission. "Find them for us, Sailor Mercury," she had said in an unwavering voice. After Ami had given her a wide-eyed nod, she had turned and walked silently from the hall.

Vital had moved to follow her, and then stopped as to look back towards the Doors he had pledged to guard. "Don't worry, Vital-san," Celeste had said quietly. "We will stay with her."

Later, when Diana awoke once more and learned that Helios had arrived and was guarding the Doors of Time with Pegasus, she had volunteered to take his place so that he could be with Lady. Secretly, she felt a desperate need to make up to Pluto and the others for guiding the enemy to the Doors.

"Synchronization check," Super Sailor Mercury said softly.

"Synchronization still at 100 to nine zeros," Pallas responded after glancing at the readings. "Data reception rate at two Bytes per one tenth of a nanosecond. All unnecessary systems shutdown. Memory and cache usage low. Lunar backup reports same. Tracker and transponder communication clear." She paused a moment, and then added "We're all set here, Mercury-sama. Good luck."

Super Sailor Mercury smiled at the honorific then reached up to press her right earring. Immediately, her heads-up visor formed around her face.

As her hand dropped back down, it fell to the little silver charm attached to her choker band. "Grace notes can stand on their own," she said softly to herself. "You were right, Usagi-chan. But they need their friends in order to shine. Even alone, together. Draw me to you."

She released the charm, and began to walk carefully and cautiously towards the temple where her enemy hid.

* * *

King Necro jumped as his telemetry alarms screeched a warning inside his head. "Not again!" he growled, thoroughly put out with the senshi and their interference of his simple mission. He turned down the heat under the pot of soup he was making then gave King Wisp's shields one final check.

'_I'd better lead them away from here,_' he thought to himself as he turned towards the doorway. '_Geist will torment my soul for several millennia if anything happens to her little boy…_' He stepped out into the muted green sunlight to face his intruder.

* * *

Super Sailor Mercury studied the landscape through her visor with interest, almost forgetting her mission as it reported that a good-sized building complex had once stood here. Only the tops of the structures were visible after so many years, and they were overgrown with trees, vines, and shrubs. The computer extrapolated sizes, dimensions, and shapes underground based on the remains it could find, and projected them onto her visor. Only her sharp reflexes, honed by eight wars and centuries of training, allowed her to dodge the spell attack that the enemy threw at her.

She dove forward and to the left as the ground to the right of where she had been standing exploded. Quickly, she rolled back to her feet and scanned the area for King Necro's presence. Her visor warned of another blast in time for her to jump out of its path.

Realizing that the computer was once again having problems breaking through his cloaking shield, she relaxed and let her instincts take over.

"Mercury Shine Aqua… ILLUSION!" she cried, tossing the blast toward the apparent source of the attacks. Even as she threw it, she dove to her right, narrowly avoiding another attack.

"Mercury Melodic… SPRAY!" she cried again, blanketing the area with chiming ice crystals. As she identified the spot where the crystals seemed to shatter in a bubble pattern, her eyes narrowed. She called the attack again aiming for that same spot. Suddenly, she could see her enemy.

"Only one of you?" he called tauntingly. "And here I thought this would be a challenge. Where are your remaining friends? Don't tell me they let you come to take care of me all by yourself! Or are they too scared to move now?"

Super Sailor Mercury shook her blue head with a small, secret smile. "No, they're not scared. They just haven't started attacking yet since I don't need their help. Can't you find them?"

Her enemy frowned, and eyed her suspiciously. On the one hand, he couldn't believe that these simple weaklings could have developed a stronger cloaking shield than him. On the other, if they did, it made sense for one of them to act as a rabbit to draw him out while the rest surrounded him for the final blow. '_Got to get them away from here…_' he thought to himself again as he looked around surreptitiously. Her satisfied smile drew his attention back to her.

"They shall meet the same fate sooner or later," he said with a confident, evil smile in return. "None of you can break my shields, so I don't have anything to worry about. You, on the other hand," he continued as he raised his wand and cast his paralyzation spell at her. "You are mine." His smile widened as she tried to struggle against the spell.

Back in the central control room, Celeste tightened her hand on Pallas' shoulder. Pallas winced, but didn't complain. Vital, Bessa, and June all exchanged worried glances as Lady continued to watch the scene on the screen with a complete lack of emotion.

"Mercury Bubble Spray… Freezing!" Super Sailor Mercury called, throwing the power of the attack out of her paralyzed hands and straight up the corridor that he had formed between them. As he became encrusted in ice, she blinked and wondered if she had accidentally gone too far. Her eyes narrowed as she once again began concentrating her power, hoping to put an end to this after all.

For a long moment, the two of them struggled magically: Mercury's ice against Necro's paralyzation spell. Suddenly, however, the ice around King Necro shattered. With a furious glare, he began to wave his black wand and chant the banishment spell.

Super Sailor Mercury cried in pain as he finished and her left arm disappeared. He smiled again, watching and holding onto his shield and paralyzation spells, as her body began to disappear in small chunks. His smile faltered, however, when her triumphant eyes met his.

"There's one… small problem… with that spell," she gasped as she held his eyes. He frowned again, offended and disturbed. Quickly, he glanced around for her friends. "It's… incomplete," she said as her lower half disappeared.

He snorted then dropped the paralyzation spell. "Sure it is…" he sneered as her right arm disappeared. Her smile continued to unsettle him, though. "It…," she started then screamed in pain. "It is…" she sobbed. "See you… soon…" she added as she faded completely out of sight.

Nervously, he scanned the area once more and then teleported away to his backup hiding spot hoping to draw the remaining senshi after him.

* * *

"Track him! Track him!" Celeste yelled, jumping for the computer.

Pallas reached out and knocked her away. "I am! I am! Don't touch anything! You'll make me lose Mercury-sama!"

Keeping one eye on the memory and processor loads which had skyrocketed, Pallas keyed in the tracking commands. "Blast!" she yelled angrily as the memory spiked and overloaded. "Blast, blast, Mercury Bubbles Blast!" She smacked her hand hard against the computer console.

"What?" Bessa, June, Celeste, and Vital all asked excitedly. Lady just stood and shivered as she watched the display. "Did you loose him?" Bessa continued fearfully staring at the screen.

"No," Pallas replied with uncharacteristic anger. "No, he's leaving a trail we could follow blindfolded. I lost Mercury-sama! Blasted energy levels spiked and blew the memory during a turn."

As her friends stared at her blankly, Vital stepped forward. "What about the overflow to the lunar computers?" he asked as he stopped beside her and studied the computer layout.

Pallas gave him a frustrated, angry look. "It spiked, too. The combination of the energy and the data overloaded _both_ memories. It's gone." She glared at the computer again, beginning to calm down a little. "I think it was a critical point, too. Why else would it have had so much energy?" She clenched her hands into fists, lowered her head, and slowly turned the chair around to face Lady.

"I'm sorry…" she whispered, unable to meet her friend's eyes. Bessa, June, and Celeste turned to watch the two of them uncertainly while Vital reached out to tentatively tap a few keys on the computer.

Pallas started as she felt a gentle hand cup her chin and make her look up. She stared into Lady's shimmering pink eyes, and felt her heart clench again at the pain and tears that were there.

"Don't be," Lady said gently, trying to smile reassuringly. "It's not your fault that we lost her. We knew it was a risk. Be… Besides," she added, choking just a little on her restrained emotions, "Ami-chan has her tracker and her computer. She'll help us to find her."

"Yeah," June added, putting a hand on Pallas' knee as she crouched behind Vital. "In fact, she'll probably lead them all back here before we can do all that much."

Bessa crouched on her other side and nodded with a small smile. Celeste put her hand back on Pallas' shoulder and gave her a small smile as well.

"In the meantime, we can start from here," Vital said encouragingly, trying to break up the cloud of sadness and defeatism that was entering the room. As the five girls looked at him in surprise, he tapped a few more keys on the computer. He gave them a half smile, and then pointed at the screen.

"He's not going anywhere just yet. He seems to be hunkering down and raising shields. Now would be the time to go after him, while he's off balance. Just avoid his paralyzation spell, and you should be okay. Magic takes a lot of energy to work, and he hasn't had a chance to recharge yet. Meanwhile, I can start crunching these numbers and see how far we actually got in our trace." He paused then shifted a little on his feet as he turned to look at the girls. "Um… If you trust me to, that is…"

"Oh, we trust you, we trust you," Celeste quickly reassured him. "But… What about the Doors? Diana is good for a short term, but we need someone a little more powerful there."

Bessa nodded in agreement as she stood up. "Yeah, and she's still hurt, too, which means you'd probably better go relieve her soon."

"I suppose tracking them can wait until we get back…" June said a little uncertainly as she, too, stood back up.

Pallas blinked then carefully turned her seat back around to face the computer. "Maybe not," she said as she pushed it back, crawled under the console, and began to fiddle with something. "Ah. Here we go…"

She backed out from under the console, then stood up and handed Vital a mini computer. She smiled at his inquisitive look. "It's the remote console for the mainframe. It hasn't been used in a while, but we check it monthly to make sure it's in good shape. You can start the crunching procedure while we go take care of that creep."

"Yeah!" June called as her lime colored eyes lit with excitement. "Let's go get him!"

* * *

Quietly, a lone man with blonde-brown hair stepped out of the shadows of a nearby tree. The muted sunlight caught the burnished gold pattern on his olive suit, making it sparkle. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and stretched his psychic senses looking for traces of any watchers.

After he verified that he was indeed alone and unwatched except by King Necro's passive defenses, he pushed his way through the jungle and into the temple that was serving as a hideout. He sniffed as he walked through the door, then made a tsk-ing sound and walked over to the low fire King Necro had left. "Never leave a pot on..." he mumbled to the absent man as he turned off the campstove.

He studied the pot intently for a few moments, and then shrugged. Reaching around, he snagged several cloths and bundled up the pot. Then, he turned to the still slumbering boy.

"Queen Geist would get really upset if you got hurt any further," he said thoughtfully. "But the Empress probably won't appreciate my bringing you back, either. You look like you'd be more of a handful than Fey." He studied the unconscious child for a few more minutes then sighed and shrugged again.

"Can't leave you here to be eaten by the beasts..." Gingerly, he insinuated himself inside King Necro's shields, picked up the child, phased his way back out of the shields, and teleported home with King Wisp and his medicine.

* * *

_Acknowledgments:_

_Wow, I have had a lot of reviews in the past few weeks. In addition to my faithful ones (Taeniaea, aserene, and Miss Takin), I received some more reviews from Sakura Blossom-Cillia-85, and have had a new reveiwer, Mangaka-chan, join in._

_Taeniaea – Here you go! Hope you enjoy it!_

_aserene – The next chapter is a long Sakura chapter. Things start to come together... In more ways than one. (grin) Look forward to it!_

_Miss Takin – As I said, another CCS chapter coming up. I know I've been kinda neglecting them for the past few chapters, but I couldn't have things move too fast on that end. As for Mercury's card combination, it's... a secret! (laugh) And I'm glad you like the hallway of paintings. After I created the first few, I just couldn't let the idea go..._

_Sakura Blossom – Cillia-85 - ChibiUsa was Twin and Hope. Although it was not defined, her card would have been Moon/Hope. I know, I know, two Moon cards, but they are both still Moons. (smile) No need to update your list, although I thank you for putting up the remaining Cards for those who do not have access to a Sakura Deck._

_Mangaka-chan – Welcome! I believe it was "Return to the Past" that I started reading. It was pretty good, but I've gotten a bit behind here in the past couple of weeks. So much going on! Ah, anime Helios' eyes are amber, not garnet! That's right. (smile) 1) Actually, Earth doesn't have any official scent/plant associations either. Therefore, Lady's would have to be a pure Moon scent. 2) The real reason I made Helios a Brazilian-French Canadian? His name. (smile) Vital is Portuguese, and since I already had three out of five of Lady's court from Europe (Celeste – France, Bessa – Hungary/Romania, Pallas – Greece), I really didn't want him to be part Portuguese. So, Brazil it had to be. Besides, it represents that part of the world and gives him a purpose in the story! He's not there as just Lady's boyfriend/future husband, which I know you and other Helios fans appreciate. 3) Helios' started out in my story with silver/blue eyes and white hair until I read a comment you wrote somewhere about people doing research and white hair and amber eyes. I went through my artbooks and decided to change his hair to very pale blonde/white and his eyes to wine based on some of the pictures I found. All of my BSSM stories, except one, are manga based, not anime, for anyone who has missed my statements on that in previous stories. (smile) I do draw in anime and musical elements as appropriate, like the modified hospital scene from the R movie in STCB, and the songfic a few chapters ago. 4) Hmmm.. Why are the Cards linked to the Senshi... That's a hard question... Because my sister Elflina demanded, ahem, I mean requested a CCS/BSSM crossover? And this neat idea came to me? hahaha... And finally, 5) I have future plans for this "curse". I will probably spend years writing back stories for my universe! I'm glad you like the pictures, too. Just ya'll wait to see what Mercury's looks like! (grin)_

_For any PGSM fans out there, I will be posting a new PGSM short story (five chapters if I remember right) starting tomorrow. I hope you all enjoy it. Until Chapter 29! - Raya_


	29. Chapter 29 D… D… D… Dreaming Dreaming

_Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from "CardCaptor Sakura". They are all owned by the ladies of CLAMP who are much more talented than I. (smile) I also do not own anyone from "Sailor Moon". They are all owned by Takeuchi Naoko whose vision will live eternally. (smile) (Much to Elflina's dismay...) All other characters are my own. Feel free to steal them._

_I do not hold chapters ransom for reviews, but I sure appreciate compliments, constructive criticism, and grammatical corrections. So if you feel like it, please press that little review button, and let me know what you think. _

_Five. Five whole reviews. Hurray! Did you ever think you'd hear an author cheering over five reviews? (grin) I'm getting so spoiled._

_Greetings to yaoifanboy (your begging is tempting me to write a Touya story... And I already have enough that I need to get down! grin), Taeniaea, aserene, Sakura Blossom-Cilla-85 (partly because they are both Moons, partly their looks, partly other things which may become evident if I write the stories in my head), and Mangaka-chan (Now you've done it... Partial Maenad story coming shortly if I get time to finish writing it. As for how the two worlds are connected, the Card combos (possibly) for the Quartet, and what Sakura comes up with... Read on. I think I've come up with a relatively logical explanation, although I had to think about it. Thank heavens it was already there! If you can't figure out the connection by, say, Chapter 41 let me know...). Haha, I feel like I'm getting my own fanclub going. Thanks, aserene and Taeniaea!_

_And now for a little CardCaptor Sakura... Or a lot. Back to back chapters! And then... (grin) Enjoy! - Raya_

**Moonlit Sakura**

Chapter 29 – "D… D… D… Dreaming. Dreaming..." 

Lost in thought, Sakura opened the front door and walked into the house. "I'm home," she called automatically as she slipped off her shoes and walked towards the stairs.

"Welcome back," her father called as he stuck his head out of the dining room. "I just got home myself, so dinner will be a little late tonight," he added as he watched her climb the stairs.

"Okay," she replied without stopping or turning around.

As she disappeared around the corner, his face grew worried. "This business is really starting to get to her," he said softly to himself as he turned to go back to the kitchen. "I wish there was more I could do to help..."

"I'm sure she will be all right," he heard a soft voice say. With a start, he spun around. He smiled as he stared at the guardian angel floating in his dining room. His wife smiled back.

"How can you be so sure?" he asked gently, still not convinced. "This has been going on for weeks, and she hasn't been able to figure it out, much less stop it." He looked towards the stairs again and then back to her. "She's tired, frustrated, and worried. I... I don't like seeing her like that."

Nadeshiko floated closer to him and smiled as she gave him a ghostly kiss on the cheek. "She's very powerful, fairly smart, and full of intuition. All of which she got from you," she teased. "She got one other thing as well."

"Eh? What?" Fujitaka asked as he blinked and adjusted his glasses with embarrassment.

Nadeshiko giggled. "She's stubborn. She won't give up. If you add that to her intuition, intelligence, and power, she can do anything."

"I suppose..." he agreed still looking unconvinced. "Can you give us any hints to help?" he asked suddenly, turning to look at her curiously. His shoulders slumped a little as she shook her head.

"No, I haven't asked, and even if I had, I wouldn't be allowed to say," she replied. She gave him a curious look because such a question from him was unusual.

He gave her a wry smile in response. "I can't stand seeing her like this," he admitted. "I want my cheerful little girl back, and I'm willing to grasp at any straw to get that."

Nadeshiko gave him an understanding smile. "Me, too," she said. Then, she shook her head. "I don't know what's going to happen or how this is going to be resolved, but..." Her husband gave her a curious look, waiting for her to finish. "But, it's going to be soon, I think. Something tells me she is on the verge of a breakthrough of some sort."

Fujitaka smiled then turned towards the stove. "If you say so, then I'll believe it." He chuckled. "At least part of that intuition of hers came from you. Along with her eyes, her cheerfulness, her gentleness, and her love of life." He looked over his shoulder and gave her a smile.

Nadeshiko blushed, and then began to fade away. "Trust in her..." she said. "It will be all right." Her voice lingered and then slowly faded as well.

Fujitaka took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and then nodded his head as he let it out. "Trust in her. If you say so, love."

A sudden hissing and popping sound quickly distracted him from thoughts of his dead wife and their troubled teenage daughter. With an exclamation of surprise, he removed the over-boiling pot from the stove and reached for a cloth to clean up the mess.

* * *

Kero sat in front of the TV looking at the resource book for the latest Solar Warriors game. Although he normally preferred to get the biggest score without cheating, this particular game had a lot of secret rooms and treasure that could only be found if you knew exactly what sequence to use or what brick to push.

He looked up and smiled as Sakura came into the room. "Welcome back," he called cheerfully as he turned back to the book.

"I'm home," she muttered absently as she walked across the room and sat down at her desk. Slowly, still lost in thought, she sat her book bag in her lap and took the Sakura Book out of it. After setting the Book on the desk, she allowed the bag to fall gently to the floor.

She stared at the Book for a few moments. In her mind, the conversation she had had with Yukito a few days before played out again. She bit her lip as she wracked her brain yet again for some connection between the planets and her Cards. _'The answer is here,_' she thought to herself as she closed her eyes. '_I feel as if I already have part of it._' She turned to look towards her bed. '_The dream I can't remember. The one that tells me something important. That must be it. I wish I could remember that dream. Why can't I_?'

Kero looked up from his book once more as he realized that he hadn't heard Sakura respond to his welcome. He blinked and thought back as he turned to look at her. '_Well, I guess she did,_' he thought to himself as he watched her turn to look at her bed. '_It just sounded more like she was talking to herself._'

Sakura turned back to her desk and opened the Sakura Book. Curious, Kero closed his book and flew up to the desk to see what she was doing. She leafed through the Cards then pulled out the Fire/War Card. "Dreams," she whispered as she gently traced Dream's face.

Kero's eyes widened in shock as he felt the Card begin to sluggishly respond. Quickly, he batted it out of her hand. As Sakura started and looked at him in surprise, he began to yell angrily. "What're you tryin' to do? You can't use those Cards! We don' know WHAT they'll do! And the Fire/War Card on top of that? Are you nuts? Idiot!"

"Hu-e? Wha… What are you talking about, Kero-chan? I can't use the changed Cards. You know that…" she asked shocked and puzzled.

"Oh yeah? Well, that Card jus' started t' respond t' you. Who knows what would'a happened! You have GOT to be more careful, Sakura!" he said in a slightly softer voice as he continued to glare angrily at her.

Sakura looked over at the Fire/War Card in surprise and studied it carefully. "Are you sure, Kero-chan? It seems the same as before…"

"Am I… Am I sure?" he sputtered. "Of COURSE I'm sure! I'm the Guardian Beast of the Sakura! I know my Cards! Besides, that one is partly Firey, AND known as Fire. That makes me more sensitive to it!"

Sakura looked at him again, and then reached out and caught him into a hug. "Sorry, Kero-chan. I didn't mean to scare you," she said as he struggled a little to get away. "I didn't feel anything. Really. I was just thinking out loud. I didn't mean to activate the Card." She released him finally and he flew about a foot away from her, gasping and calming down.

"It… It's ok. Jus'… Jus' don' squeeze me so tight," he managed to get out.

Sakura looked a little guilty and stared down at her hands. "I'm sorry again, Kero-chan," she said softly.

"Ma, well, don' worry 'bout it," he said reassuringly as he flew closer and stroked her hair. "Jus' be a li'l more careful next time, 'kay?"

Sakura looked up with a bright smile, and nodded her head. "Okay." Her smile faded as she looked down at the Cards once more. "Kero-chan… How can I remember a dream?"

"Eh? A dream? Wha' kinda dream?" he asked curiously as he landed on the desk in front of her.

"I've been having this dream the past few nights… It tells me something important, but I can never remember it when I wake up," she said pensively.

"Hmm…" he said, rubbing his chin in thought. "It mus'n be time f'r you t' remember it yet. Otherwise ya would."

"Hu-e?"

He looked at her seriously. "You're a natural dreamer. Tha's where y'r intuition's the strongest. Y' said ya dreamed 'f me, righ'?" She nodded. "An' the Kid. An' o' Clow when he came back as Eriol." Sakura nodded again to each of these statements. "An' y' may not've remembered them at first, but y' did when ya needed them."

Sakura nodded again then interrupted him. "But… This is important. I'm sure it has something to do with these changed Cards. Maybe it tells me who they are. I wish I could remember it!"

Kero shook his head uncertainly. "F'r a natural dreamer like you, it's usually better not t' force these things. There's a reason y' go at the pace y' do."

"But…!" she exclaimed, and then bit off the remainder of what she was going to say. She sat and stared helplessly at Kero. "I don't know what else to do… What else to try…" she said softly.

* * *

After dinner, Sakura returned to her room and completed her homework. She and Kero discussed the dream and the Cards some more. Finally, she was able to convince him to let her try to use the Cards to remember her dream.

"Fine, then. If I can' talk y' out 'f it," he said a little irritably. "But I'LL hold the Cards while we sleep," he added stubbornly.

"Hu-e? Why?" she asked as she sat at her nightstand and brushed her hair.

"If anythin's goin' t' happen, I wan' it t' happen t' ME first," he said stoutly.

Sakura gave him a look, and then smiled as she shook her head. "Okay," she replied trying to hide her amusement. "If you insist."

A short while later, they lay sleeplessly in the dark. Kero clenched the Cards tightly to his chest and did his best to prevent Sakura from touching them. Sakura just held on to the top of her sheets and tried to fall asleep.

They tossed and turned and grumbled at each other for an hour before Sakura finally sat up with an exclamation. "Why can't I go to sleep! This is never going to work!" She threw off the blanket and walked over to her desk.

"Hey, whatchya doin'?" Kero asked curiously as she opened a drawer and drew out a bowl and a bag of candles.

"I'm going to burn one of those aromatherapy candles," she said back, giving him a serious look. "One of those relaxation ones I used the first time." She carried the bowl across the room.

"Hmm… You sure 'bout that?" Kero asked uncertainly as she opened the door.

She nodded as she looked back at him. "Yeah. Yukito-san figured that smell was associated with Moon/Purity. That one has already changed. Besides, they've never repeated a smell/change combination. We should be all right. And I need to get to sleep. We have to present projects tomorrow, so I need to stay awake in school."

She left the room and returned a few minutes later with a bowlful of water. As Kero watched, she selected a few of the little stars and lit them. Unfortunately, in the dark, she did not realize she had selected a slightly different shade of star. As the scent of pure lavender began to waft into the room, she returned to her bed.

"Goodnight, Kero-chan," she said again softly.

"G'night, Sakura," he replied just as softly. The two of them lay in the bed and watched the little candles float and flicker. Slowly, their eyes grew heavier, and together, they fell asleep.

* * *

Cerberus opened his eyes slowly and looked around. Rumbling deeply in his throat, he stared sleepily at the hallway around him.

"Kero-chan?"

He turned his head lazily towards Sakura. She was dressed in a floor length, pale pink gown. Its empire waist, bodice, and short, puffed sleeves had slightly darker ribbons threaded through them. Her hair was up in the old style she had worn when she first became the Mistress of the Cards. Small pale pink ribbons, the same shade as her dress, were tied up around her mini-pigtails. Another slightly darker ribbon was around her neck holding her Key as it nestled in the hollow of her throat. Three bangle bracelets with sun, moon, and star charms graced her right wrist. He tilted his head slowly to one side as if to get a better look. "Where'd you get that?" he asked blinking sleepily. "Tomoyo-chan?"

She smiled and shook her head as she reached out to scratch his head. "No… I don't think so. I don't know where it came from. But, I'm always wearing it here."

"And where _is_ here?" he asked, purring with pleasure.

She shrugged. "In the hall in my dreams. I'm not sure where it is. It looks like it's part of some big castle, doesn't it?" Cerberus rumbled something that could pass as an affirmative sound. "Come look over here," she said, her face brightening with excitement. "It has pictures!"

He made a protesting sound as she stopped scratching and turned around to step to the Lady on the Moon. With a sigh, he followed after her, bumping his giant head into her hand to make her continue the caress.

For several minutes she showed him the portraits that lined the wall. She explained the order they had appeared in, and how the door had appeared right after the Sleeper's portrait.

"Door? What door?" he asked in confusion.

"Hu-e?" Sakura blinked and looked around. "There was a door. Right there! It was a kind of honey brown and had all sorts of carvings on it. That's odd… Where did it go?" Finally, she shrugged again and led the way to the second set of pictures.

She giggled softly as Cerberus fell in love with the Golden Priestess. Somehow, she had had a feeling that would be his favorite. He had also liked the Fire Dancer and the Knight in the Garden, but the Golden Priestess was far and away his favorite.

Sakura blinked, and then smiled as she realized that there was another new portrait. Eagerly, she stepped up to look at it. As she studied the image, however, her expression grew puzzled.

It was a portrait of a young, dusky skinned woman with long, dark green hair. She wore a floor length, formal gown which appeared to be black, although there were garnet and wine highlights in it. She stood on what appeared to be the doors of a fallen gate or a trapdoor. The doors were made of some dark wood carved with the phases of the moon. Roman numerals surrounded the woman and the doors. She was looking up and raising some sort of elaborate, bejeweled staff to the full moon above her. The shadows cast by her staff hit the roman numerals. In the background were depictions of plants and animals in various stages of life and death. But the only human in the picture was the woman. The picture frame was made of crushed jewels that seemed to sparkle randomly in the light of the hall.

"I wonder who she is supposed to be," she said softly to Cerberus who had joined her in front of the picture.

Cerberus studied the portrait a moment, and then rustled his wings. "Don't know," he said off-handedly. "Looks like some big garden sundial to me."

They both stiffened suddenly as they felt a stirring of power and magic. With a bright light, a Card appeared in the hall. Sakura stared at it with wide eyes as it floated in front of her. It spun and fluxed in front of her which made it hard to see which one it was. Just as she made out who was on the front, it zapped away from her and into an empty frame on the wall.

"Cloud and…" she said uncertainly as she followed it across the hall. She looked curiously at the portrait within the frosty, etched, ice frame. A woman in a long, pale blue dress sat on the bank of a river at the base of a pretty, triple-tiered waterfall. The sparkling mist from the waterfall seemed to enshroud the plants and animals around her and to overflow onto the frame. Only two spots in the picture were completely free from the mist: the blue-haired woman sitting with an open book in her lap, and the silver full moon above her. As with most of the portraits, the woman appeared to be gazing at the moon.

"How pretty," Sakura said softly, enraptured by the mist which had been painted with hidden pictures in it. She reached out with her free hand to touch the frame to see if it really was ice.

Suddenly, the hall around her vanished. As she gasped and Cerberus flared his wings in surprise, they were surrounded first by an inky blackness and then by soft pink mist. Floating in front of them, they saw the people from the portraits standing in a large group. Sakura's gasp came out as a sigh of relief as she saw her Card Spirits floating whole and apparently unharmed in the mist. Cerberus blinked and stared about in shock.

As Sakura reached towards them, Windy looked up, saw her, and smiled. "Windy…" she said softly.

"I wish we knew how to get out of here," the Lady on the Moon sighed. "I wish Ami-chan were here."

Her friends murmured and nodded in agreement. "Well, what would she tell us to do?" the Lady in the Tree asked reflectively.

"We could try Sailor Teleport," the Golden Priestess said, holding a small white cat in her arms.

"I don't think that would be a good idea," the Fire Dancer replied, shaking her head. As the others looked at her questioningly, she shook her head again. "Just a feeling," she continued.

"Well, if Rei-chan has a feeling we shouldn't, then we shouldn't," the first woman said with disappointment.

"Maybe Michiru-mama can find the way with her Mirror?" the Sleeper asked tentatively.

"Mirror…" Sakura heard herself echo. Mirror, standing beside the Ocean Goddess, turned curiously at the sound of her voice. She smiled, and then began to glow.

The Knight in the Garden suddenly stiffened and stared straight at her. "Who's there!" he called stepping protectively closer to the woman with white pigtails.

Sakura blinked in surprise, and felt her heart speed up with excitement. She opened her mouth to respond when a tremor ran through the mist. With cries of fear, irritation, and unease, the large group fought against it, trying to stay on their feet. A flash of sapphire light turned the surrounding mist purple for just an instant, and then faded away.

"Ami-chan!" Sakura heard one of the women cry happily as the strange place vanished once more. Abruptly, she and Kero woke in a nest of tangled sheets. Above their heads, Sakura's alarm clock chirped and beeped its announcement that it was time to rise and shine.

Groggily, Sakura sat up and rubbed her eyes. She stared blankly around the room for a moment, disoriented and confused.

Beside her, Kero yawned and stretched. Unwittingly, he dropped the Cards. "Ow…" he whined as he rubbed the ridges the Cards had left in his arms.

Sakura blinked sleepily down at the Water/Affinity Card and then started. Remembering the Card which had transformed in her dreams, she scrambled out of bed and headed for the Sakura Book. Unfortunately, one of her feet tangled in the sheets, and she fell to the floor with a thud.

As she disentangled herself under Kero's wide-eyed groggy stare, her father called up the staircase. "Sakura-san? Are you all right?"

"Ye-es," she replied with a red face. "I'll be down in a little bit!"

She finally managed to get her feet free and finished walking over to her desk. With a quick flip, she opened the clasp and lifted the cover of the Book. She quickly but gently sifted through the Cards until she found the newly changed one. Kero floated over to her shoulder to study it as well.


	30. Chapter 30 And the door will open

_Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from "CardCaptor Sakura". They are all owned by the ladies of CLAMP who are much more talented than I. (smile) I also do not own anyone from "Sailor Moon". They are all owned by Takeuchi Naoko whose vision will live eternally. (smile) (Much to Elflina's dismay...) All other characters are my own. Feel free to steal them._

_I do not hold chapters ransom for reviews, but I sure appreciate compliments, constructive criticism, and grammatical corrections. So if you feel like it, please press that little review button, and let me know what you think. _

_Oh, I AM getting spoiled. Five reviews again, including a first time (for me) reviewer! Welcome crazy-lil-nae-nae! And greetings to yaoifanboy, Taeniaea, Mangaka-chan, and aserene. Yes, Mangaka-chan, sometimes I slow down and plod a bit. (smile) Actually, I think these chapters were written when I suddenly started to realize that I didn't know how I was going to end the story. But, this chapter is also the Part II of Chapter 29, so maybe that will help. (smile) And I can't say much more, or I will spoil it, so... Enjoy, minna! - Raya_

**Moonlit Sakura**

Chapter 30 – "And the door will open..."

Impatiently, Sakura waited for school to end. As usually happens on days that you wish would fly by, the day seemed to drag on endlessly.

Fortunately for her sanity, everyone that she needed was available immediately after school. She managed to control her impatient fidgeting as she waited for Tomoyo and Shaoran to change into their street shoes, but once they were outside, she rushed ahead and tried to hurry them along.

"Calm down, Sakura," Shaoran said as he shook his head. "Even if we hurry, we will still need to wait on Yukito-san."

As Sakura frowned at this, Tomoyo added her delay. "I really need to buy another memory card," she said as she turned to walk downtown. "I'm not sure how much space is left on the one I have in the camera, and I don't want to miss a single frame tonight."

"Tomoyo-chan," Sakura groaned. With a heavy sigh, she reluctantly followed her friend.

Tomoyo turned and gave her an amused smile. "It will only take a few minutes, truly," she said soothingly. "The store is right over here. Oh, I should probably get another battery while I'm at it."

Sakura stood in the front of the store and fidgeted with her book bag as Tomoyo made her selections and went to the register to pay for them. Shaoran browsed through the store, amazed at its selection and shocked at the prices.

Tomoyo caught the expression on his face as she walked past him. "It's really not that bad," she said with another amused smile as she stopped beside him. "The prices are a little high, but the quality is high, too. You get what you pay for. And I need the higher quality to capture my cute Sakura-chan just right."

He blinked, then snorted softly and shook his head. "With your talent and determination, you don't need to buy expensive materials to capture Sakura's essence for all time," he said softly as they began walking towards their impatient friend. "You could probably do it with pencil and paper." Tomoyo's only response was a slight blush and a wider smile.

Finally, everyone assembled in the Kinomoto living room. Tomoyo panned her video camera around capturing the amused and slightly nervous expressions Yukito, Shaoran, and Kero were wearing. Sakura still looked excited and impatient as she put the Sakura Book on the coffee table.

Tomoyo sighed happily as she studied her friend and the outfit she had somehow convinced her to change in to. The white, v-necked leotard clung gently to her curves while a big, dark pink, butterfly-shaped satin bow at the point of the v helped to maintain a sense of modesty. Demi-sleeves accented her shoulders and arms, while a pink choker necklace embroidered with dark green thread emphasized her slender long neck. A stiff, dark green skirt hung in triangular panels down to her knees at its longest point. It had deep slits in it, up to the tops of her thighs, and was cut to resemble a spiky flower bud that had opened to reveal the white flower above. Under the skirt, she wore dark green biker shorts and green tights to maintain her modesty. To Tomoyo, they made her legs seem like the stem of a flower. She sighed again very pleased with the overall effect.

Gently, Sakura drew out the transformed Cards and laid them out in a row. "Moon/Purity, Sun/Life, Fire/War, Death/Destruction, Strength/Protection, Metal/Beauty, Water/Affinity, Wind/Rebellion, Time/Revolution," she named them as she gently placed them on the table. She held one more Card in her hand, and then took a deep breath and laid it down. "Water/Wisdom."

Eagerly, her friends leaned forward to study the new Card. Innocent looking Cloud slept on the face of the Mist Card. After a few moments, Shaoran suddenly frowned.

"Wait, WATER/Wisdom?" he questioned with a puzzled look. "Don't you already _have_ a Water card?" He pointed to the Card which showed Mirror hiding Watery.

Sakura blinked and looked at him in surprise. "Yeah…" she said uncertainly as she shifted her gaze down to the Cards in front of her. She reached out and picked up the Watery/Affinity and Water/Wisdom Cards, one in each hand. "How can I have two Waters?" she asked in puzzlement as she studied the two Cards.

As her gaze shifted from one to the other, she realized that a taste came and went in her mouth. Still looking at the Cards, she licked her lips. "Salt?" she questioned softly. "No salt?"

"Salty and unsalted?" Yukito asked studying her face. "Does one seem saltier to you?"

"Mmm…" she said as she raised her confused green eyes to him. "When I look at this one, I get a salty taste in my mouth," she added as she raised the Water/Affinity Card a little bit and lowered it. "I get a feeling of depth, too. Of space." She raised the other Card slightly. "When I look at this one the salt taste goes away. And, the depth feeling changes to a feeling of lightness."

The five friends pondered the Cards for a few more minutes. "Salt water and fresh water?" Tomoyo asked tentatively when no one else spoke. "Technically, they are different." As her four friends looked at her uncertainly, she continued. "They have different properties and abilities. Like the ocean and a lake. A lake will freeze more quickly, not only because it is shallower, but because it doesn't have any salt in it. Lake water will also absorb more pollution than ocean water because it had less dissolved in it to begin with. And, things that would sink in lake water will float in the ocean."

"So… One is Ocean, and the other is Lake?" Shaoran asked as he looked back at the Cards.

"Or River or Stream or Pond…" Tomoyo replied.

"I think… I think Salt Water and Fresh Water suits them better," Sakura said as she looked between the two Cards once more and then laid them gently back on the table.

"Planets," Yukito said suddenly. As the group looked at him in surprise, he shook his head with a small smile. "We forgot the planetary association. Salt Water and Fresh Water would be good names. So would Neptune and Mercury. Neptune as Salt Water..."

"And Mercury as Fresh Water," Sakura said, smiling in sudden comprehension. "So the water lilies _were_ for Neptune, not Mercury." She considered this revelation for a moment, then took a deep breath and looked up at her friends.

"I had a dream last night," she said seriously. "I've been having it for several nights now, but last night Kero-chan helped me to see and remember it. The first part of the dream is that Hall I've been dreaming of for several months now. It has pictures in it. Portraits of people." She paused as Kero nodded, and then continued. "The portraits seem to be related to the Cards somehow. Twice, I've seen a changed Card appear in front of me in the Hall then fly off to become a portrait. When I finish looking at the portraits, the hallway disappears and everything goes black for a moment."

"When I can see again, I am floating in some sort of pink mist. In front of me, I can see the spirits of my Cards, the original, unmerged ones. I also see a large group of people. They look a lot like the people in the portraits except that their clothes are different." She paused and cocked her head as she remembered the group of people. "In fact… Most of them seem to be wearing the same thing… a body suit, bows, and miniskirt. Almost like a uniform, except that the bows and skirts are all different colors."

"They're all women?" Tomoyo asked in surprise.

Sakura shook the image out of her head. "All but one," she replied with a little smile. "And, all but one of the women are wearing that outfit. The one who looks like the Lady on the Moon is wearing a regular, tea-length dress."

"The Lady on the Moon?" Shaoran asked curiously.

"That's one of the portraits," she replied. "A lady wearing a long white dress sitting on top of a crescent moon."

"Tea-length?" Yukito interrupted before she could continue.

Sakura blinked, and then responded with a smile. "A dress or skirt that comes to about mid-calf. Anyway," she continued, "I see Windy standing near one of them and I say her name. Suddenly, I can hear what they are saying."

"Can you understand them?" Yukito asked as she paused again.

"What are they talking about?" Shaoran asked at the same time. "Invasion plans? A status review? The Cards that are going to be changed next?"

Sakura smiled again as she shook her head. "No, nothing like that. Yes, I can understand them," she added as she glanced over towards Yukito. "They are talking about how to get home. But, they can't seem to come up with a satisfactory answer. One of them makes a comment about using a mirror just as I am looking at Mirror, so I say her name, too. Suddenly, they act as if they can see me. But before we can do anything, there is a big tremor and I fall away and wake up."

"Hmm…" Yukito said, looking at the Cards as he mulled the dream over in his mind.

"They saw you?" Shaoran asked sounding a little nervous and protective.

"I'm not sure," Sakura responded. "I think so, but I always wake up at that point so I don't really know."

"Hey, relax Kid," Kero interjected. "She wasn' in any danger."

"Why, because you were there?" Shaoran asked irritably.

"Yeah," Kero replied suddenly irritated by his tone of voice.

"Stop it you two," Sakura interrupted. She gave them both a serious look as they quieted and glared at each other. "I wasn't in any danger," she said as she turned her gaze back to Shaoran. "I didn't feel any danger, and even if they had attacked me, the Cards were there. They would have helped me."

"Hey!" Kero cried. "I was there, too. So you were in even less danger!"

"Yes…" she replied sounding just a little amused. She winked at Kero as he glared at her. "Yes, you were there this time, too, Kero-chan, so I was even safer."

"So what did the dream tell you?" Yukito asked in an attempt to bring them back to the topic at hand. "So far, all I can tell is that the Cards are apparently in the same place as the people in the portraits that you see in your dream. But where is that?"

Sakura shook her head slowly. "I'm still not sure. But it tells me one other thing, too, and that's why I wanted you all to come here tonight," she replied. She looked at the Cards again as she continued. "It tells me how to communicate with them. And I want to try it out."

"What! No way!" Shaoran and Kero hollered in unison. Yukito just looked at her in surprise, while Tomoyo smiled happily behind her video camera.

"Yes," Sakura replied stubbornly. "I have to! They might know what is going on! If we help each other, maybe we can return things to normal."

"It's too dangerous," Kero said as he slashed his arm in a negative motion and shook his head.

"You want to use those changed Cards to communicate? We don't even know how their powers have mutated!" Shaoran said agreeing with Kero. "He's right. It's too dangerous."

"That's why I wanted you here," Sakura said reasonably. "If there is a problem, you three and the remaining Cards can back me up."

"The mos' powerful Cards 're the ones that've been modified," Kero said trying to use logic to change her mind. "Light, Dark, Earthy, Firey, Watery, Windy… Those 're the top two ranks! An' so far, they've been completely unresponsive. The only really powerful Card you've got left is Hope."

Sakura looked nervous and uncertain for a moment, and then shook her head. "We have to talk to them, and this is the only way I can think of. They don't mean any harm. They're not evil."

"And you will do it whether we help or not, won't you, Sakura-chan?" Yukito asked sounding sadly certain. Mentally, he agreed with Shaoran and Kero, but his gut and his heart were telling him to trust Sakura.

She paused, and then slowly nodded. "We have to," she repeated more softly. Kero and Shaoran stared angrily at her, clenching their fists.

Sakura looked down at her Cards and let the silence grow. Several long minutes later, Shaoran and then Kero began to relax.

"Okay, we can't talk you out of it," Shaoran sighed. "So what do you want us to do?"

Sakura gave him a sad look, a little disheartened by the lack of support and enthusiasm in his voice. "I think the four of us should concentrate together. Then, I'll invoke Windy and Mirror."

Shaoran caught her gaze with his own and stared into her emerald green eyes. He tried to convey an apology and his support in that gaze. Sakura relaxed and smiled a little, then nodded slightly to let him know that he was forgiven.

"All right then," Kero said in a suddenly determined voice as he ignored the interplay between his Mistress and her love. "Let's do it!"

"Mmm!" Sakura said with a wider smile and nodded her head sharply in agreement. Tomoyo watched a little jealously as the four magical friends closed their eyes and began to join their powers. As usual, though, she quickly brushed the useless emotion aside and concentrated on what she could do.

Although she could neither sense it nor see it, Tomoyo knew that an aura of power was beginning to build around her friends. Automatically, she checked the light/radiation gauge on her camera's display. As it climbed into the red zone, she deftly dialed down the aperture to let in less light. Almost seven years had given her plenty of practice at capturing the image without spoiling it so she could see later what she had missed.

"Windy…" Sakura said softly in a commanding voice. The room was still for a moment, and then a slight breeze began to blow. It ruffled their hair almost playfully, but it didn't move the Cards at all.

Tomoyo's eyes widened in surprise when she realized that she could see the Cards glowing. Suddenly, something like a hologram appeared above each of the Cards. Quickly she played with the zoom on the camera to see if she could capture the images. '_So pretty,_' she thought to herself in awe as she studied the women. When she saw the handsome man hovering over the Sun/Life Card her eyes widened again.

"Mirror…" Sakura said.

Tomoyo watched as the figures suddenly started and spun to stare at Sakura. They jumped together in the middle of the table, long misty cords connecting them to their Cards. The women dressed in mini-sailor outfits formed a ring surrounding the other woman and the man. The man placed his arm protectively around the woman's shoulders and she leaned into him just a little. All of them stared intently at Sakura.

* * *

_A/N: Chapter titles for Ch 29 & Ch 30 "D... D... D... Dreaming... Dreaming... Soshite tobira ga hiraku yo..." from 'Tobira o Akete' written by Kikuko and performed by ANZA. Slightly modified (Do! changed to D...), and used without permission. 'Tobira o Akete' was the second opening theme song for the _CardCaptor Sakura_ TV Series, and the singer, ANZA, was the first actress to play Tsukino Usgai / SailorMoon in the musical stage productions. ANZA reigned as SailorMoon from the summer of 1993 to February 1998, and in the opinion of many fans will always be THE SailorMoon._


	31. Chapter 31 Reunion and Contact

_Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from "CardCaptor Sakura". They are all owned by the ladies of CLAMP who are much more talented than I. (smile) I also do not own anyone from "Sailor Moon". They are all owned by Takeuchi Naoko whose vision will live eternally. (smile) (Much to Elflina's dismay...) All other characters are my own. Feel free to steal them._

_I do not hold chapters ransom for reviews, but I sure appreciate compliments, constructive criticism, and grammatical corrections. So if you feel like it, please press that little review button, and let me know what you think. _

_Hurray! Party time! An all new high for me. SIX REVIEWERS! At ONCE! (grin) Greetings to aserene, yaoifanboy, Sakura Blossom-Cilla-85, Taeniaea, Mangaka-chan, and Miss Takin. I'm glad you have all been enjoying the story, that the last chapter met expectations, and that you found time to read and review. Finally, the chapter you have all been waiting for... I hope it lives up to your expectations! Enjoy! - Raya  
_

**Moonlit Sakura**

Chapter 31 – Reunion and Contact

"Ami-chan!" Serenity cried happily as she sensed the arrival of yet another friend. Hope blossomed in her heart. '_Now we can get home! Ami-chan will surely know what to do!_' she thought to herself.

'_Oh no, not Ami-chan,_' Super Sailor Venus thought to herself as she looked around cautiously for the intruder they had sensed. '_Now what…_' As she glanced at the other senshi, she could see that a similar thought was running through their minds.

Serenity began to rush towards the place that she sensed Ami, but was suddenly stopped short as King Endymion grabbed her wrist. As she gave him a surprised look, he turned his gaze from the mist to her face. "Careful, Serenity. Don't go rushing off. Someone or something is out there."

"Eh?" she queried as she cocked her white head to the side. With a little frown, she closed her eyes and reached out with her psychic senses. "I only feel Ami-chan and… two more of those people," she said as she reopened her eyes and gave her husband a puzzled look.

"Serenity is right," Super Sailor Mars said with a nod. "Whatever it was is gone now," she continued as Super Sailor Neptune looked up from her Mirror and nodded as well.

Reluctantly, King Endymion released his wife's wrist and let her go. With a smile, she began to run towards Ami again.

"Ami-chan!" she cried once more waving one arm widely. "Ami-chan! Over here!"

The three distant figures turned towards her. As they began to move, one quickly pulled ahead of the others, racing to meet her.

"Usagi-chan!" Super Sailor Mercury cried as she enveloped Serenity in a strong hug. For a second, she closed her eyes and reveled in the feel of her oldest, dearest friend. But almost as quickly as she had closed them, she re-opened her eyes and pulled away. She spun around to stand defensively in front of Serenity as the other two creatures came up to them.

"It's all right, Ami-chan," Serenity said reassuringly as she put a hand on her friend's shoulder. "So far, they don't seem to want to attack us."

As Super Sailor Mercury glanced towards Serenity over her shoulder, her eyes went wide. More of the strange creatures surrounded the group from Crystal Tokyo looking at her curiously.

"Yeah," Super Sailor Venus agreed. "So far, they've left us alone. Mars says that they're pretty powerful, though, so be on your guard."

As Super Sailor Jupiter and Super Sailor Uranus nodded, Serenity rolled her eyes and changed the subject. "Small Lady… How are the girls?" she asked tentatively, a little afraid of the answer.

Super Sailor Mercury smiled widely. "They are doing just fine, Serenity-san. In fact, they are doing very well indeed. Helios has arrived. Lady-san joined her powers with his and summoned Pegasus from Elysian." She turned to look at Super Sailor Pluto. "They are currently guarding the Doors for you, with some help from Diana." As the Guardian of Time nodded with a small smile, Super Sailor Mercury turned back to the rest of her friends. "Vital-san helped Pallas-chan to decipher the spell they are using to banish us. With that bit of information, we were able to determine that you had been shifted to a different plane. I left the girls to guard Lady-san and set out to track you down."

"You mean you finally managed to track him down, went and attacked him, and tricked him into banishing you, too, so that you could use your computer to chart the path," Super Sailor Mars said glaring at her blue-haired friend. As Serenity paled, Super Sailor Mercury gave her a hard look in return.

"Something like that," she said noncommittally as she avoided Serenity's gaze.

"Well, did it work?" Super Sailor Jupiter asked a little impatiently. "And who is Vital-san?"

Super Sailor Mercury looked at her in surprise, and then quickly brought her computer up. "I don't know. I haven't had a chance to check yet. And Vital-san is Helios."

* * *

"All right then," Kero said in a suddenly determined voice as he ignored the interplay between his Mistress and her love. "Let's do it!"

"Mmm!" Sakura said with a wider smile and nodded her head sharply in agreement. She closed her eyes and turned her attention inward and outward. She felt her friends' power reach for her.

In the spiritual plane, she lifted her face to Yue's cool, relaxing light. The pure white light surrounded her for a moment, and then was tinged with gold. With a smile, she reached out with her hands to Cerberus' warm, invigorating light. It flooded the white light until it momentarily overshadowed it, and then settled down. With the light half gold and half white around her, she slowly turned and opened her eyes to look behind her where she sensed Shaoran's reassuring strength. His rich green aura surrounded her for a moment, and then joined with Yue's white and Cerberus' gold.

Slowly she took a deep breath and turned her inner eyes towards the Cards. The unchanged Sakura Cards glowed a warm reddish pink, adding their strength to the pool around her. The modified Cards shone in their individual colors. All of the colors of the rainbow were there in addition to black, silvery-white, and gold.

"Windy…" Sakura said softly in a commanding voice. Everything was still for a moment, and then a slight breeze began to blow. It ruffled her hair playfully, but it didn't affect the auras around her.

Suddenly, the auras from the Cards condensed and changed. The people she had seen in her dream appeared full-sized in front of her. As she waited, she watched them talk amongst themselves ignoring her. She waited quietly and patiently, but they did not seem to sense her.

"Mirror…" Sakura said.

The group of people suddenly started and spun to stare at Sakura. The Knight in the Garden put his arm protectively around the shoulders of the Lady on the Moon as the other women moved quickly to form a protective ring around them.

"I'm a friend!" Sakura exclaimed quickly as she held up her hands.

"Who are you?" the man called out in a challenging voice.

Before she could answer, the Fire Dancer blinked and spoke. "I know you… I've seen you before… Ah! The girl from my vision! The one with the card!" Most of the other women turned to look at the speaker expectantly.

"Vision? What vision?" the Lady in the Tree asked excitedly.

"Can we trust her?" the Golden Priestess asked in a serious voice as she turned back to face Sakura.

Before Sakura or the Fire Dancer could respond, another voice filled with anger interrupted them. "No you don't!" it howled. Sakura turned towards the sound, and then stepped back with a screech of shock as she saw a black cat flying through the air towards her.

It landed, and then spun back hissing to leap at her again. Its blue eyes blazed with fury as it jumped at her with its long claws extended. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a white streak aiming for her as well. "Shield!" she cried instinctively as she stumbled backwards again. A flash of light surrounded her, knocking the cats away. A curiously shaped wing floated in front of her.

"Freeze!" she cried again.

As she spoke, one of the women in the circle cried out as well. "Luna! Artemis! Stop!"

Freeze surged up from the mist under the black cat, its humongous fish form phasing through her easily. It arced through the air, then came down through the white cat and sank back into the mists. The two cats were frozen into blocks of ice. The white one was looking back towards the circle of people uncertainly, while the black one was still glaring at Sakura ready to attack again.

"No! Luna! Artemis!" several of the women cried out as they stepped forward. "Why you…" the Lady in the Tree growled as she brought her hands up. A ball of electricity surrounded them and she drew them back as if she were going to throw something.

"STOP!" the first voice yelled again. With a start, they all turned to look at the Lady on the Moon. "Just stop it! They attacked her first." She turned her fearful blue gaze to Sakura, and raised one hand to her chest. "Are… are they all right?"

Sakura nodded reassuringly. "Yes. I just asked Freeze to stop them, not to hurt them."

The Lady by the Waterfall nodded and made an agreeing sound as several of the others looked to her. "Yes, they are all right," she said as she put away the computer she was holding. Slowly, she walked towards the frozen cats. She held her hands up in the air to show that she was not a threat. She knelt down by the black cat and looked up at Sakura with gentle blue eyes.

"I'm sorry. This has been very hard on her, and she's a bit confused right now. If you'll release them, I will try to calm her down," she said quietly.

Sakura nodded and made a gesture. The ice melted quickly releasing its two captives. The Lady by the Waterfall quickly grabbed the black cat before she could leap again and stood up. "Luna! Serenity-san said to stop," she said as she spun away from Sakura and faced the circle of women.

"Serenity?" Luna growled as she struggled to get free. "Serenity is gone! Just like Artemis and Diana. And it's all their fault! Let me _go_, Mercury! I'll make them pay. I swear I'll make them _pay_!" she howled.

"Luna!" the Lady on the Moon called as she ran towards them. "Luna, I'm all right! You're all right! Oh thank goodness, you're all right!" With tears streaming down her face, she took the shocked cat from the other woman and cradled her in her arms.

"Se… Serenity?" Luna whispered in a disbelieving voice. "Is it really you?"

Still crying, Serenity nodded and hugged her adviser tightly. "It's all right now. I promise. Oh, Luna! You scared me so much when you wouldn't wake up. Are you really all right?"

"Can't… breath…" Luna gasped. Immediately, Serenity loosened her grip. Luna took advantage of this to stand up in her arms, place her front paws on her collarbone, and lick at the tears on her face. "I'm all right. You're all right? I've been so worried about you!"

As Serenity nodded and the two continued to reassure each other, the remaining humans turned their attention back to Sakura, who was still focusing on the Queen and her cat. Suddenly, Super Sailor Mars stepped forward and bowed slightly. "I am Sailor Mars, Guardian of Crystal Tokyo and Neo-Queen Serenity," she said in a neutral voice.

Sakura started, and spun to face her with a slight blush across her cheeks. "How do you do," she quickly replied with a bow. The floating wing drifted back into the crowd of strange creatures. "I am Sakura Kinomoto of Tomoeda. It's nice to meet you." She cocked her head slightly, and then continued. "Crystal Tokyo? Where is that? I know Tokyo of course, but…"

"It is in another universe," Super Sailor Mercury replied with a small smile as she, too, stepped forward. "How do you do, I am Sailor Mercury, another Guardian of Crystal Tokyo and Neo-Queen Serenity." She exchanged bows with Sakura, and then continued. "We were sent here by a spell cast by an enemy."

Sakura shuddered as she remembered the evil, orange-haired man from her vision. Suddenly, though, she realized something. "Wait, Sailor Mars? Sailor Mercury? Are you all named after planets?" As the women nodded in surprise, her face lit up. "That explains it! I was wondering where the planetary link came in!"

"Huh? What's she talking about?" Super Sailor Jupiter asked Super Sailor Neptune. Super Sailor Neptune just shrugged her shoulders and shook her head slightly in confusion.

"You are a magician, right?" Super Sailor Mars interrupted. As Sakura stared at her in uncertain surprise, she continued. "In my vision, you were holding a card which had the aura of a powerful elemental. And, you have a very powerful aura yourself."

Sakura nodded slowly. "Yes, I am a magician. I am the mistress of the… the elementals...? that you see around you." She turned her attention to her Card Spirits for a moment and gave them a relieved smile. "I've been so worried about you. I'm so glad you're all right."

She paused, and looked through the assembled group again. "Wait… Firey, Watery, Windy, Mirror… Where are Light and Dark?" she asked in a worried tone.

"Light? Dark?" Serenity asked looking up. "Would those be the twins with blonde and black hair?" As Sakura nodded a little uncertainly, Serenity pointed to where the two figures still slept a little distance away. "They haven't woken up yet. I'm not sure why..." She let her voice trail off as Sakura began to run towards her missing Cards.

"Can we trust her?" King Endymion asked softly.

Serenity and Super Sailor Mars nodded their heads. "I feel no evil intent in her," Super Sailor Mars said. "And, when I saw her in the vision she was surprised by what happened. I don't think she's an accomplice."

"She's only tried to defend herself without hurting others," Serenity pointed out. "And she's genuinely worried about the elementals or whatever they are. If she were evil or an enemy, she wouldn't care about hurting us. Especially since we attacked first."

As her friends nodded their agreement with her logic, Super Sailor Jupiter turned to Super Sailor Mars. "Again, what was your vision? What did you see?"

"Just her in a crystal hallway of some sort holding a big, pink card. The card had a very strong aura to it, like an earth elemental. Then it flashed, and she cried out in protest, and I felt Endymion-sama's aura merge with the card." As they stared at her in shock, she continued. "That's how I knew he was in danger." Her friends nodded their understanding.

"Mercury, did you determine whether or not your plan worked?" Super Sailor Venus said, turning to look at her blue-haired friend who grimaced and sighed.

"I was only partially successful. Apparently, there was a power surge at one of the turns, and I lost all of the data. Fortunately, I had set up the system to restart collection immediately if that should happen, so I can get us back that far at least. Hopefully, the main computers didn't go, and we can meet the girls on the way."

Super Sailor Venus grimaced as well. "Well, I guess it's better than nothing."

"But what do we do about her?" Super Sailor Uranus asked as she pointed at Sakura.

"We will need her help," Super Sailor Mars said quickly. "It's not as simple as following the path Mercury found. We're… bound here. Linked, somehow, to those elementals." She turned to look at Sakura who was still kneeling beside Light and Dark. "And I think she's the key…"


	32. Chapter 32 Building Confrontation

_Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from "CardCaptor Sakura". They are all owned by the ladies of CLAMP who are much more talented than I. (smile) I also do not own anyone from "Sailor Moon". They are all owned by Takeuchi Naoko whose vision will live eternally. (smile) (Much to Elflina's dismay...) All other characters are my own. Feel free to steal them._

_I do not hold chapters ransom for reviews, but I sure appreciate compliments, constructive criticism, and grammatical corrections. So if you feel like it, please press that little review button, and let me know what you think. _

_I met my record high. Six reviews again! Including a first time (for me) reviewer. Welcome, To-cold-to-Love! I'm glad you are enjoying the story. Only 10 chapters to go after this. My, how time has flown! Considering this story took me over a year to write, that is. (smile) And greetings to Sakura Blossom-Cilla-85, aserene, Taeniaea, Mangaka-chan, and yaoifanboy. Yes, Sakura Blossom, I know she is technically a sorceress, but since Rei used magician, Sakura did, too. And I think the word might be the same in Japanese? I'm not sure. Hahaha, and I have a message from Ree (my Beta reader as some of you may know). She says to tell you that after waiting a month, she was VERY HAPPY to receive four pages. Like you, she would have been happier with more, but at least you only have to wait a few days. (wink) We know you were just teasing, hahaha. Four pages is actually about my average on this story, I think. And what do you know, this one is four pages, too. (smile) And since we have had several Sakura chapters, it must be time to fly back to Crystal Tokyo. Enjoy! - Raya_

**Moonlit Sakura**

Chapter 32 – Building Confrontation

Diana watched curiously as Vital typed several commands into the remote for the main computer. Not wanting to disturb him, she bit back her questions and tried to figure out on her own what he was trying to do. It was a good way to distract herself from her pounding head and sore body.

Vital glanced out of the corner of his eye at the inquisitive cat that sat beside him. "There, that should do for a start," he said with a small smile. "I've managed to extend the telemetry and alarm devices a short way beyond the Doors. That should give us a little warning if something comes up. Now, the next thing we need to do is…" He paused in thought for a moment.

"Set up a view screen so we can watch the fight?" the little grey cat asked timidly.

Vital smiled as he shook his head. "No… I think the next thing we need to do is set up some sort of homing signal for Sailor Mercury. If our memory was overloaded, hers probably was, too." His voice became softer and more reflective. "If I were her, I would have set the system up to automatically resume collection. Now, the question is, how long was that overload, and how many turns were there during that time… And where should we set the beacon…"

"Diana, Vital-san, we're ready to leave." Celeste's voice through Diana's communicator made him jump in surprise. "Pallas says that there may be a telemetry alarm when we power up to teleport out and another when we actually leave. Just check and acknowledge them, okay?"

"Um, yeah, okay," he replied looking around uncertainly.

Diana chuckled a little, and then reached up to touch the bell on her collar. "We'll take care of it, Sailor Ceres. Good luck." Her voice became a little more solemn. "And be careful. Come home soon…"

"We will, Diana," Sailor Ceres replied in an overly cheerful voice. "After all, we can't leave you all alone with that good looking man too long, can we?" As Vital and Diana blushed, the laughter of the assembled Asteroid Senshi rang out of the bell. "See you later!" Sailor Ceres said as she cut off her communicator.

Diana looked over at Vital, who was suddenly very busy with the remote module once again, and sighed. "One day," she muttered softly. "One day, I'm going to be as good as Mother with snappy comebacks."

Vital smiled, still typing. "And in the meantime?" he asked, sensing that there was more she wanted to say.

Diana stretched gingerly, and then settled deliberately into her "guarding" pose. "In the meantime?" she purred with dancing eyes. "In the meantime, I think I need to come up with a good little revenge plan…" It was another good way to distract herself from the pain.

Vital chuckled as he linked the beacon he had created in the Palace with the telemetry data for Lady. '_A nice little scrambled dual-beacon loop, with Maiden set up as the primary. That ought to make her really happy…_' he thought to himself, pleased, as the programming did as he wanted. '_Now, no matter where she is in this world, they can find their way to her._'

* * *

Sakura closed her eyes and concentrated, temporarily ignoring the people behind her. With her inner senses, she reached out to feel for Light and Dark. Around her astral form, ribbons of dark pink light extended from her body and caressed the two still figures. The Card Spirits gathered around her in a protective circle and watched curiously. 

'_Ah, so that's it_,' she heard Cerberus say in her mind. Yue made a sound of agreement. '_Whatever change is going on and causing the merge takes a lot of energy from the Cards_.'

"Will they be all right?" she asked a little fearfully as she opened her eyes to study the sleeping spirits once again.

'_Yep. They're just kinda… hibernating right now. Once we get some energy back into them, they should be fine_,' her sun guardian replied.

'_But why are all of the others already awake?_' Shaoran asked curiously.

Sakura felt Cerberus shrug. '_Don' know. It probably didn't take as much energy to make them merge or something_.'

'_Light and Dark are the two most powerful Cards_,' Yue said quietly. '_And I sense that the one they call Serenity is very powerful herself, perhaps the most powerful of all of them. If she was the one who merged with Light and Dark…_'

'_It would have taken even more energy to make them merge_,' Shaoran concluded thoughtfully as Sakura nodded solemnly.

'_Wait, you think that white haired girl is the most powerful?_' Cerberus asked in a disbelieving tone. '_I don't sense that at all. She's not the weakest, mind you, but the strongest? Why would all of the others be so protective of her then? That tall guy or the woman with the black skirt, now, they're strong._'

Sakura ignored the ensuing debate and concentrated instead on sending energy into Light and Dark. She began to worry when there was no perceptible change after several minutes. Around her, the Card Spirits shifted nervously and protectively as the senshi made their way towards her.

"Are they all right?" Serenity asked tentatively as she stopped outside of the circle. "Can you get them to wake up?"

Sakura turned to face her with a disappointed and worried expression. "No, not yet. Apparently, their power has been significantly drained. Kero-chan says that they're all right, but…"

"But you want them awake now," Serenity said with complete understanding. "It's always hard to wait for your friends to recover." She reached up to cup the jewel hidden underneath the bodice of her dress.

Super Sailor Mars caught the movement out of the corner of her eye, spun around quickly, grabbed her wrist, and yanked her hand away. "Don't you DARE," she growled menacingly. "If you even _think_ about it again, I'll…"

Serenity blinked at her in surprise, and frowned irritably. "Ow. That hurt, Mars."

"Sorry," her best friend replied sounding anything but repentant as she let her wrist go. "But, I mean it, Serenity. You can't use the Crystal just yet."

"Yeah," Super Sailor Venus agreed as she gave her queen a stern look. "What if whatever drained them is still collecting energy? Do you want to bring it back? Or worse, have it drain you and the Crystal through them?"

"We don't need you to go exhausting yourself yet," Super Sailor Jupiter agreed with a slightly more sympathetic look. "We've still got to figure out a way to get home, and we'll probably need your energy, too, to do it."

Super Sailor Uranus shifted nervously as she glanced at Sakura, who had turned her attention back to the unconscious elementals. Super Sailor Pluto and Super Sailor Saturn looked on with neutral faces, while King Endymion, Artemis, Luna, and Super Sailor Neptune looked slightly worried.

Serenity frowned at all of her friends as they continued to frown back at her. "I'm not a child any more. Using the Silver Crystal doesn't drain me like it used to."

"No," Luna agreed with a serious look. "No, you learned a long time ago how to control it. But Venus has a point. What if they are bait for a trap? What if there is some sort of energy siphon?"

"If you start to give them energy using the Crystal," King Endymion added as the adviser paused to let her argument sink in, "and there is a siphon, the enemy could drain you dry before you know it."

Super Sailor Mercury kept her eyes on Serenity as the queen shook her head impatiently. "It is possible, Serenity-san. Kinomoto-san just tried to give them a good energy boost. Nothing happened. Their energy levels didn't seem to move at all. I can't get any readings at all on them, so I can't tell if there is a siphon or if they are just drained so low any improvement is hidden. That means we just don't know. If they aren't at risk…"

Serenity looked around at her friends as she thought over their argument. Finally, she sighed and turned to Sakura who was politely ignoring the argument. "I'm sorry, Kinomoto-san" she said, making the young sorceress turn around in surprise. "I know how you feel. I really do. But at the moment," she glanced at her friends once more and shook her head. "At the moment, I'm afraid there is nothing we can do to help. We would if we could," she added hurriedly as Sakura sagged a little in disappointment. "But…"

"It's okay," Sakura said reassuringly as she straightened up. "I understand. You need to save your energy for finding your way home. Don't worry. Kero-chan and Yue say that they're not in any danger. I just have to find a better way to get energy into them." She gave a concerned look towards her sleeping Spirits once more, and then rose with a small sigh. "Meanwhile, we should see what we can do to get you separated from my Cards safely."

"I know most of what has happened on our end," Super Sailor Mercury said quickly. "But it would be really helpful if I knew what happened here as well. Perhaps you can tell us your story from when things started to happen?"

Sakura cocked her head thoughtfully, and then nodded with a smile. "If you promise to tell your end as well. My friends and I are just as curious as you."

* * *

"Okay, ladies, this is it," Sailor Ceres said as the laughter died down around her. '_Lady-chan's expression was sooo cute_,' she thought to herself as her friends became solemn and turned to face her. Directly opposite of her, Super Sailor Moon's face began to lose its blush. 

"Are we going in without at plan?" Sailor Pallas asked softly.

Sailor Vesta and Sailor Juno snorted while Sailor Ceres and Super Sailor Moon gave her uncertain looks. "We've got a plan," Sailor Vesta said with burning red eyes.

"Yeah," Sailor Juno agreed with equally burning lime green eyes. "Cut his legs out from under him, string him up by his thumbs, slather him with honey, then stake him over an fire-ant hill in bear and mountain lion country. That ought to do for a start."

Sailor Pallas sighed and shook her head as the others turned to look wide-eyed at Sailor Juno. "Yeah, that does sound like a pretty good start," Sailor Ceres agreed appreciatively.

"Sailor Moon," Sailor Pallas said abruptly before her Sailor Vesta could add anything, "I don't know if you've noticed, but most of your attacks seem to get through." Her friends turned to look at her in shock. "I'm not sure why that is, but I noticed it when I was reviewing the old fight data looking for strategies. Therefore, it makes sense for us to shield you while you attack him."

"No," Super Sailor Moon responded abruptly. "You're not sacrificing yourselves for me the way Ami-chan, Mako-chan, and Hotaru-chan did. We'll take him by surprise and attack together. If we get that wand away from him, we might be able to do something."

Sailor Pallas shook her head, her light blue hair bouncing around her. "I agree getting the wand out of the picture is key, but I don't think we're fast enough. He has his shields up strong, he's cornered, and he's expecting us. On the positive side, he's hiding in a shrine to the moon goddess right here in Crystal Tokyo. There should be some additional power there you can tap into."

Sailor Ceres studied Super Sailor Moon's obstinate face a moment, and then spoke up. "I think Pallas has a good idea." As her princess' hot pink eyes glared at her she changed her tone to a reassuring one. "It won't be that easy for him to take us out. We won't be acting singly. It will be four of us against him, and we won't be wasting our energy with attacks. He hasn't faced our combined strength like this before, not defensively. It might even throw him a little off balance."

"No," Super Sailor Moon said, only to be interrupted by Sailor Vesta.

"Yes. That sounds like a real good plan," the red haired senshi said as she nodded to Sailor Pallas and Sailor Ceres.

"I agree," Sailor Juno said as she nodded also. She then turned to face Super Sailor Moon who was opening her mouth to protest again. "It's four to one. You can't win. Even if you order us not to, we'll do it."

"Trust us, Lady-chan," Sailor Ceres asked suddenly. "Please. Trust us to protect ourselves and you like we trust you to defeat him."

"But…" Super Sailor Moon replied as tears formed in her eyes once more.

"Please," Sailor Ceres asked again more softly, pleading with her medium pink eyes.

Super Sailor Moon looked around the group. Each time her sad eyes met her friends' determined, pleading ones, her heart sank a little lower. Finally, she lowered her eyes to the ground and struggled with herself. "Okay," she agreed reluctantly.

Around her, the Asteroid Senshi's faces brightened with joy and relief. "Thank you, Lady-chan," Sailor Pallas said with quiet restraint. "Shall we go?" She held out her hands, one to Sailor Ceres, and one to Super Sailor Moon.

"Mmm," Sailor Ceres said, nodding in agreement as she took the proffered hand and held her free one out to Sailor Vesta. Sailor Vesta accepted her hand, and the one Sailor Juno held out to her. They all looked quietly, with just a hint of sadness, at Super Sailor Moon who was still looking at the floor. Slowly, she raised her hands and her head, and completed the circle.

She took a deep breath, and closed her eyes. "Moon Power," she said with abrupt strength.

Sailor Pallas smiled with pride and thankfulness. "Pallas Power!" she called strongly.

"Ceres Power!" Sailor Ceres called, echoing Sailor Pallas' strength and smile.

"Vesta Power!" Sailor Vesta cried more loudly, squeezing her partners' hands as she focused all her will.

"Juno Power!" Sailor Juno yelled, squeezing back, determined not to be out done.

"Sailor TELEPORT!" the five girls shouted simultaneously. With a flash of bright light, they disappeared from the main reception hall.


	33. Chapter 33 The Journey Pt I

_Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from "CardCaptor Sakura". They are all owned by the ladies of CLAMP who are much more talented than I. (smile) I also do not own anyone from "Sailor Moon". They are all owned by Takeuchi Naoko whose vision will live eternally. (smile) (Much to Elflina's dismay...) All other characters are my own. Feel free to steal them._

_I do not hold chapters ransom for reviews, but I sure appreciate compliments, constructive criticism, and grammatical corrections. So if you feel like it, please press that little review button, and let me know what you think. _

_Greetings to my five reviewers: Taeniaea, To-cold-to-Love, aserene, Sakura Blossom-Cilla-85, and Mangaka-chan. What, I don't have to fight the urge to give something away? Hahaha, you guys must be slipping. Either that, or I've answered enough questions you can take a wait and see attitude. grin Well, Mangaka-chan did have a couple, but one is answered below, and the other... I think it's answered later (patience). If not, I'm sure she will let me know about it, hahaha... Enjoy, minna! - Raya_

**Moonlit Sakura**

Chapter 33 – The Journey to Crystal Tokyo, Part I 

Dressed in the outfit from her dreams, Sakura sighed as she gazed around the group gathered at Tsukimine shrine. She frowned as she caught sight of Tomoyo. Her dark-haired friend was up in the old sakura tree calmly checking her camera, batteries, and filters.

"You can't keep her out of it, Monster," Touya said softly in her ear. As she turned to glare at him, he smiled nonchalantly and moved swiftly out of striking range.

"He's right, you know," Yukito said as he smiled gently at his boyfriend's antics. "She's been with you since the beginning. There's no way she'll let you leave her behind, not if there's a chance she can come along, especially since she now knows she can record the new spirits as well."

"I know," Sakura muttered unhappily.

"She'll be fine," Kero added seriously. "She's had years of practice at staying on the sidelines and out of harm's way."

"I know," Sakura muttered again looking more unhappy.

"We'll keep an eye on her," Shaoran said reassuringly.

"I know," Sakura replied softly as she looked at him, Kero, and Yukito. "I know she'll stay out of the way. I know we'll all keep an eye out for her as usual. But…"

"But this guy is powerful as well as evil," Tomoyo said with a serious look as she walked up to the group brushing off her Seijou High School uniform. Her serious violet eyes met Sakura's unhappy emerald ones. "And you worry about me. But, I'm coming. I can't possibly miss the chance to film this journey. It'll be like a romantic sci-fi adventure!" She concluded with an exaggerated sigh of pleasure and excitement. As her friends gave her looks of disbelief at her apparent ditziness, she smiled. '_And who knows, maybe I'll be useful. An extra set of trained eyes never hurts_,' she thought to herself. "Besides, I _love_ this dress on Sakura. I can't possibly miss a chance to record her in action in it!"

Sakura stared at her a moment, and then sighed again. "Okay, let's get started." She opened the Sakura Book and drew out the Air Card. She closed her eyes and concentrated on Windy. '_Are they ready?_' she asked her communication spirit.

* * *

Windy stirred, and then moved to hover in front of Super Sailor Mercury.

"She's ready?" the Senshi of Wisdom asked with a raised eyebrow. At Windy's nod, she drew out her computer and opened the tracing program. Windy floated away as the remaining senshi surrounded their friend.

"So, we join power and hands in a circle with Mercury in the middle," Serenity said.

Super Sailor Mars nodded. "No teleporting this time, though. We just provide the power base for Mercury and Kinomoto-san. Mercury will show her the path, and Kinomoto-san will carry us as far as she can. Hopefully, there will be a point when we will be drawn back out of the Cards."

"Hopefully," Super Sailor Jupiter muttered. She didn't look too sure of the plan.

"There's always the Crystal," Luna said in a determinedly optimistic voice from her place around Serenity's shoulders. "If we don't just separate from the Cards, then we can try that." No-one looked reassured.

"Faith," King Endymion said bracingly. "It usually comes down to that, right? We put as much effort as we can into the fight, and have faith that somehow we will win." He smiled gently down at his wife who had perked up a little at his words. Around the group, their friends nodded. Uncertain looks faded into determined ones.

"Let's do it then," Super Sailor Venus said. On her shoulder, Artemis nodded. "Venus Power!"

"Jupiter Power!" "Neptune Power!" "Uranus Power!" "Saturn Power!" "Pluto Power!" "Mars Power!" "Golden Elysian Power!" "Silver Moon Power!"

"Mercury Power!" Super Sailor Mercury closed her eyes briefly to add her power to that of her friends. Around the gently glowing circle, the Card Spirits floated and watched curiously.

* * *

The Fresh Water Card floated gently up out of the Sakura Book and hovered in front of the group. Sakura nodded as she put the Air Card back into the Book. "Here we go," she said. Her heart raced with excitement as she gave her brother a significant look.

He gave her a put upon look in return, and then quirked a smile at her. "Come home safe, Monster," he said as he turned to walk away. "I don't want to have to be the one to tell Dad what you did," he added over his shoulder. His slowly returning psychic senses detected the priest as he came out of the shrine to investigate the unusual energy surge. '_Time to do my part_,' he thought as he walked off to provide a distraction.

The remaining friends gathered into a circle and began to join hands. Tomoyo took one last look at her backup camera, stuck up in a tree to record this event, and prayed that the filters, autofocus, and dimmers were working properly. She settled her two head cameras and head's up clips a little more firmly in place, and held her right wrist out for Shaoran to grasp. The remote control for the front-view camera was held tightly in her right hand. With a smile, she reached out with her left hand, which held the remote for the back-view camera and let Yue grasp her left wrist.

Cerberus wrapped a wing around Sakura, while Yue gripped her shoulder with his left hand. This left her hands free to hold the Book and manage the Cards. Cerberus and Shaoran exchanged antagonistic glares that were mere shadows of their former strength. Then, Cerberus allowed Shaoran to put his right hand on his left shoulder blade.

Sakura drew another Card out of the book and took a deep breath. "Through! Take us along the path we chose to follow. Open the door between the planes!" She tossed the Card into the air in front of her, and then powered it up with her Star Wand. A bright, shimmering pink light appeared around them. It flared brightly for a second, and then disappeared with the group. Gently, a few sakura petals drifted to the ground.

When they could see again, they felt as if they were floating. A multicolored pastel mist surrounded them. Tomoyo smiled in delight and craned her neck around to try and catch everything on video.

Suddenly, a rainbow colored light flashed all around them, and a woman with blue hair appeared in the middle of the circle. Tomoyo blinked in surprise, and then looked around once more. Her heart skipped a beat as she recognized the spirits who had floated above Sakura's Cards just two nights before and the Card Spirits floating in two separate rings around them. Her eyes widened as she realized that they no longer looked pale and ethereal. Instead, they were bright, solid, and real.

"Kinomoto-san," Super Sailor Venus said in surprise. "But how?…"

"We've been brought to the same plane," Super Sailor Mercury said. Her voice, also, was full of surprise.

"Are we free?" Super Sailor Jupiter asked with eager excitement. Her green eyes brightened with hope. They dimmed again as Super Sailor Mars and Super Sailor Mercury shook their heads.

"No, not quite," Super Sailor Mars said with a frown.

"The link is more tenuous, but it's still there," Super Sailor Mercury agreed.

Super Sailor Uranus grimaced, while Super Sailor Neptune gave her a look of sympathy. The Senshi of Rebellion hated being bound to anything against her will, and had been quietly fretting ever since she had heard Sakura's story.

Super Sailor Saturn squeezed her "father"'s hand, and gave her a small reassuring smile. "Soon," she said softly. Super Sailor Uranus merely nodded to show that she had heard.

"Perhaps some introductions?" King Endymion suggested in an effort to distract the senshi from their disappointment. Sakura quickly agreed and introduced her small group. Serenity returned the favor for her protectors.

Before they could proceed, however, the Book in Sakura's arms flared incandescently and the world around them shook madly. The group of travelers screamed in fear and fought desperately to hold on to one another. As the world settled once more, several gasps of shock and dismay came from the circle of senshi.

"Pallas," Super Sailor Neptune said her eyes widening.

"Juno!" Super Sailor Jupiter cried simultaneously as she stared at the unconscious senshi floating in front of her.

"Vesta?" Super Sailor Mars said at the same time, her heart sinking.

"Ceres…" Super Sailor Venus whispered, her voice blending with the others. She tightened her grip on Serenity's left hand and quickly turned to gauge her friend's reaction. Serenity was very pale as she stared at the four unconscious senshi floating between her circle and Sakura's.

"Sakura!" Cerberus bellowed. "Sakura, hang on! Fight it!"

Super Sailor Mercury spun quickly and caught Sakura's left side as Yue tightened his grip on her right shoulder. "Sakura-san!" she called anxiously. "Sakura-san? What's the matter? Sakura-san wake up!"

"I… I'm all right," Sakura mumbled softly as she tried to raise her head and stand on her own again.

"It's the power surge," Cerberus answered Super Sailor Mercury as he stared anxiously at his Mistress. "Sometimes she loses consciousness when the Cards merge."

"She can't do that now!" Super Sailor Mercury said anxiously. "Fight it off, Sakura-san! If we come out of transit now, there's no telling where we'll be or what that dimension will be like. You have to hold on!"

"You have to hold on," Super Sailor Venus echoed gently as she squeezed her queen's hand. "She's all right. She has to be. If we falter now, it will take even longer to get to her. Hold on, Usagi-chan." Serenity turned to look at her with extremely anxious blue eyes. "We'll make it in time. Just, don't let this distract you," Super Sailor Venus continued trying to use her voice to steady and reassure her friend.

"We're not falling out of transit now," Super Sailor Uranus said abruptly, responding to Super Sailor Mercury's plea. She narrowed her eyes in concentration, ignoring the unconscious form of Sailor Pallas in front of her. A yellow glow flared into the space around her.

Super Sailor Neptune blinked at her partner in surprise, and then turned to focus on her own energy. An indigo light flared into existence around her. Quickly, the other senshi followed suit, freely giving their energy to keep them in place until their leaders could recover. Yue, Cerberus, and Shaoran joined them as well.

Serenity was the first to recover from her shock, fear, and anxiety. She took a deep breath and added her pink-tinged white power to the circle.

Slowly, Sakura raised her head and took a deep breath. She fumbled with her Book a minute, and then pulled out four new Cards. "Flower covers Illusion, Dash has hidden Storm, Rain obscures Maze, and Create has merged with Shadow," she said a little shakily.

"Forget about that for now," Cerberus said irritably. "Are you all right? Should we go back?"

"Hallucination, Distraction, Optical Illusion, Daydream…," she responded concentrating for another moment before focusing on her golden guardian. "Yes, I'm okay. No, we're not going back."

Shaoran glared at her from across the circle. "Yes we are. I've seen how wiped out you get when four Cards merge. There's no _way_ I'm letting you proceed after _eight_ merge."

"I'm fine, really," Sakura insisted. "For some reason it wasn't as bad this time. I just wasn't expecting it, that's all."

Shaoran and Cerberus shook their heads adamantly. "For once, I agree with the Kid. We go back," Cerberus said in a stern tone.

Super Sailor Mercury looked at Sakura and Cerberus uncertainly as they continued to argue, and then released Sakura and lifted her computer for a scan. "Her energy levels seem a little low, but not significantly so," she said, interrupting Shaoran as he joined the argument. "I don't have any data from the previous merges, of course, but I believe she has enough energy to continue." She stiffened her back and raised her head as Cerberus growled and glared at her with his hot gold eyes. "It's up to Kinomoto-san, of course," she added as she stared back at him.

"Sakura, please," Sakura said absently as she lifted a hand to Cerberus' shoulder and looked across the circle to Shaoran. "I'm fine," she added forcefully. "I don't know why, but it's not as bad this time."

"You have a lot more energy supporting you," Yue said suddenly. "Cerberus, Li, the senshi… Even Daidouji-san is giving you what she can."

Tomoyo blinked in surprise at this revelation. '_It's working?_' she asked herself as she continued to send supporting thoughts to her friend. '_I'm glad._'

"Our friends, on the other hand, are completely drained," Super Sailor Mars interrupted with a worried tone. She glanced to her left to see Serenity's reaction to that statement. The queen merely gave Sailor Ceres a concerned look which made Super Sailor Mars sigh softly in relief.

Super Sailor Mercury looked over her shoulder at her in surprise, and focused her computer on the four unconscious senshi. "Not completely," she said in puzzlement. "In fact, they are powering up fairly rapidly. They should wake up soon…" She studied the readout on her computer for another moment, and then continued. "They are absorbing the power of your circle. That explains it."

"They instinctively recognized our power," Super Sailor Pluto said reflectively, "and then tapped into it to restore themselves." She smiled with gentle pride for the younger girls.

"That's a nice little trick," Super Sailor Uranus said as she looked at Sailor Pallas. "We'll have to find out how they did it. That could be pretty useful."

"Only if we're not in the middle of a fight," Super Sailor Neptune said in a cautious voice. "If you sap energy off of someone who needs it that might end up getting them hurt."

"True…," Super Sailor Jupiter said reflectively. "But it would still be useful to know how to do it."

"Not so loud," Sailor Pallas whimpered softly, raising her hands to her head. Suddenly, she jerked up to a vertical position. "Lady-chan!"

Sailor Vesta, Sailor Ceres, and Sailor Juno twitched, and then jerked upright as well. "Moon!" Sailor Ceres called, looking around desperately. When she saw Serenity, she stopped and stared. "Lady-chan? No… Neo-Queen Serenity-sama?"

"Lady-chan!" Sailor Vesta cried as she, too, looked around frantically. Her eyes widened as she saw Cerberus, Yue, and the senshi that surrounded them.

"Look out!" Sailor Juno yelled, as she spun to look behind her. "Lady-ch…" Her voice trailed off as she stared at Super Sailor Jupiter, Super Sailor Venus, and Super Sailor Neptune. "What?" she queried sounding confused.

"Neo-Queen Serenity-sama?" Sailor Ceres asked again. "Everyone?" she added as she looked around the circle. She closed her eyes with a sigh. "Oh no. Lady-chan's going to be so mad at us…"


	34. Chapter 34 The Journey Pt II

_Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from "CardCaptor Sakura". They are all owned by the ladies of CLAMP who are much more talented than I. (smile) I also do not own anyone from "Sailor Moon". They are all owned by Takeuchi Naoko whose vision will live eternally. (smile) (Much to Elflina's dismay...) All other characters are my own. Feel free to steal them._

_I do not hold chapters ransom for reviews, but I sure appreciate compliments, constructive criticism, and grammatical corrections. So if you feel like it, please press that little review button, and let me know what you think. _

_Six reviews? Six? Is that a new record for me? I think it is. Hurray! And even if it is not, Hurray! (grin) Greetings to Taeniaea, yaoifanboy, aserene, Sakura Blossom-Cilla-85, and Mangaka-chan. Oh, and another first (for me) reviewer, I think. Welcome animegurl709! I'm glad you are all still happy with me. This chapter is a short one, however. Gomen, but it seemed a natural place to break it._

_I had a question as to what Card goes with which Asteroid Senshi. In case some of you missed the transformation descriptions I put in "The Sleeper", here you go: 1) Flower/Illusion is Hallucination is Ceres (whose transformation includes flower petals, and who's attack is illusion/hallucination based), Dash/Storm is Distraction is Juno ( who is closest to Jupiter, which is where I got Storm, and quick so I chose Dash, and is Distraction because that is one thing she tries to achieve with her vines), Rain/Maze is Optical Illusion is Pallas (who has rain in her transformation and as an attack, is good at puzzles and mazes, and rain can cause optical illusions... Okay, a little bit of a stretch but...), and Change/Shadow is Daydream is Vesta (who creates her dream beasts from shadows). In my world, the girls have two core powers: shielding and illusions, thus their confidence about holding off Necro if they worked together and concentrated on shielding. Their illusion powers have not really come to the forefront yet as they have not powered up at all. Hope that helps! _

_And now, Enjoy! - Raya_

**Moonlit Sakura**

Chapter 34 – The Journey to Crystal Tokyo, Part II: Recriminations, Encouragement, and Beginning Again

Queen Fey made an irritable sound as she paced around her room once more. '_Intolerable! How long are they going to keep me here!_' she fumed to herself. '_They know I have a job to do. In fact, they should be helping me with it, not hindering me. I'm perfectly fine! I don't need to be kept cooped up anymore!_'

As she passed the door leading out of the room, she slapped her hand against it in frustration. A soft beep and a slight whooshing sound made her stop mid turn and look over her shoulder at it. Her eyes widened as she realized that it had opened slightly.

She held her breath as she cautiously poked her grey head out into the hallway beyond. A quick glance in both directions showed that no one was around. Carefully, she eased her way out. "Piika – Paaka – Pot," she said softly using an old nursery rhyme to pick a direction. "Papa long sought, A way or three for dels, To bring Mama dreaming bells." Her eyes narrowed as she studied the hallway in the direction selected, and then she turned to walk quickly and quietly the opposite way.

Hidden in the shadows, a woman with short red hair watched her go. Her midnight blue suit blended with the darkness. Even its silver embroidery was muted. '_I'm going to get in trouble for this_,' she thought to herself a little uneasily. '_But, I can't leave Necro to face them all alone. My little brother is good, but he's not that good_." Queen Yeti shivered a little as she remembered the pain of the bright, cleansing light. '_He's not that good_.'

* * *

"Ceres," Serenity said quietly. Slowly, her daughter's lead bodyguard raised her head to look at her. "Ceres, what happened?"

"Um… Well… You see…," the younger senshi said nervously, refusing to meet her queen's eyes. "We decided to attack the enemy while he was off-guard."

"He?" Super Sailor Neptune asked from across the circle. "You mean the orange haired man, not the grey haired woman?"

"King Necro," Serenity said as Sailor Ceres nodded. "The woman was apparently named Queen Fey." The four younger senshi blinked at her in surprise.

"Wait," Sailor Pallas called from her position in front of Super Sailor Uranus and Super Sailor Neptune. "King Necro? Queen Fey? Are they part of the Empress' Dark Court, too? Like Queen Yeti, King Arashi, and the others?"

"They have names?" Sailor Juno asked simultaneously in surprise.

"Of course they have names," Super Sailor Mars snorted. "There're four things an enemy almost always has: power, a name, a plan, and friends."

"Oh, right, of course," Sailor Juno mumbled flushing a little with embarrassment.

"Mars," Serenity chided with a shake of her head. Her friend turned to look at her and smiled slightly with a shrug. The queen rolled her eyes and turned to look across the circle at Pallas. "Yes, Pallas. They do seem to be a part of that same Court. Or at least, that's what King Necro told me when he introduced himself."

She turned to look at Sailor Ceres again. "So, you went to attack him instead of staying at the Palace and defending Small Lady?" she asked, knowing in her heart that she was wrong, but wishing she was right. As Sailor Ceres mutely shook her head, she softly sighed her disappointment.

"No, ma'am. We all went," Sailor Ceres said tentatively. Suddenly, she looked up with pleading eyes. "He was cornered. Off balance. And Vital-san said that he hadn't had a chance to recharge his magical energies. It seemed like the perfect time to take the fight to him."

She paused to give the queen a chance to say something, but everyone was quiet. She swallowed, and then looked at Super Sailor Venus instead. Somehow, it was easier to meet her leader's understanding baby blue eyes rather than the queen's patient, anxious cerulean blue or the king's worried midnight blue. "Pallas-chan also noticed that Sailor Moon's attacks always seem to get through. So, we decided that the four of us would concentrate strictly on shielding, while she attacked him."

Super Sailor Venus glanced at Serenity out of the corner of her eye, and then nodded. "It sounds like a fairly reasonable plan," she said quietly. "The four of you were trained to do just that, and if her attacks were getting through…"

"Yes," Sailor Ceres said as her medium pink eyes brightened. They dimmed again almost immediately. "Unfortunately, he was still stronger than we thought." She stared bitterly at her hands for a moment. "Perhaps… Perhaps if it had been you and Sailor Mars and the others… We just weren't strong enough."

Sailor Juno and Sailor Vesta clenched their fists in anger and a little shame. Sailor Juno looked down at her feet again, while Sailor Vesta glared across the circle into the pastel mists that surrounded them. Sailor Pallas looked sadly at her king and queen, and then hung her head as well.

"Did you do your best?" Super Sailor Mars asked softly. The girls nodded slightly, still refusing to look at them.

"Did you give everything you had?" Super Sailor Jupiter asked after a breath of silence in a gentle voice. Again the girls nodded, too choked up to respond verbally.

"More than you ever thought you could?" Super Sailor Mercury asked gently after another small silence. The girls did not respond except to tighten their expressions. Sakura and her friends silently studied their expressions which said it wasn't enough, could never be enough.

"So much, that the pain from his attacks became part of the light?" Super Sailor Venus asked after another small silence, her voice full of understanding.

As the girls raised their heads and turned to look at her in surprise, the leader of the senshi nodded. "If you gave that much, then you could have done no more. Good job, girls."

"But…," Sailor Juno began to protest.

Super Sailor Mars interrupted her. "We've been there, Juno," she said gently, her voice also full of understanding. "We know what you did. And how you feel right now. Inadequate. Frustrated because you weren't strong enough to last just a few minutes longer. Worried sick about what will happen to your friend now. Scared that your best just wasn't good enough." As the younger girls all turned to look at her, she nodded and gave them a serious smile.

"Oh yes, we've been there," Super Sailor Jupiter said, making the girls turn to look at her. "And no matter how much you power up, you will always feel the same way when you fail." She turned, and looked at Serenity. "And somehow, they always forgive you and say that you did more than enough," she added as her emerald eyes caught Serenity's blue ones. They stared at each other for a few moments, and then she looked back at the girls again. "Venus is right. Good job, girls." King Endymion, Serenity, and the remaining senshi nodded their agreement. Slowly, the younger girls relaxed.

"Um…," Sakura said tentatively as the tension in the middle circles began to fade. She blushed a little as the senshi turned their attention towards her as if suddenly remembering that they were not alone. "If… If I heard right, you have a friend who may be in trouble?"

The senshi in front of her nodded. Behind her, Super Sailor Uranus shifted impatiently. Super Sailor Neptune and Super Sailor Saturn tightened their grips slightly in an attempt to calm her. Super Sailor Pluto and Super Sailor Jupiter sent her understanding looks and asked silently with their eyes for her patience a little longer.

"Yes, Kinomoto-san. I mean, Sakura-san," Super Sailor Mercury replied speaking for her group. "It sounds as if she might be in a lot of danger right now. In fact, she may appear here at any moment. Can you handle it if that happens?"

Slowly, Sakura shook her head. "She's the Princess, right? The one with long pink hair?" As Super Sailor Mercury blinked at her in surprise, Sakura nodded. "I saw her in my dream… She won't be banished quiet so easily. But we have to hurry. We have to protect her." She turned to look at her friends. "Remember? Protect the Princess and the Cards. That's how we stop him."

As Yue, Shaoran, and Tomoyo nodded, Cerberus fluttered his left wing and rumbled. "Let's get going then. What are we waiting for?"

Sakura smiled and nodded. "Right. Let's go! Mercury-san?"

Super Sailor Mercury nodded and turned back to her computer. "That way," she said pointing down and to the left. Her blue aura flared into existence around her as she began to lead the way. Around her, the circles of friends glowed gently with power as they came with her.

The four youngest senshi looked around a little in puzzlement, and then nodded to themselves. They turned to face the center circle and stretched their hands out as if to form a circle of their own. Quickly, they powered up as best they could and joined in the effort.


	35. Chapter 35 Shocks and Surprises

_Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from "CardCaptor Sakura". They are all owned by the ladies of CLAMP who are much more talented than I. (smile) I also do not own anyone from "Sailor Moon". They are all owned by Takeuchi Naoko whose vision will live eternally. (smile) (Much to Elflina's dismay...) All other characters are my own. Feel free to steal them._

_I do not hold chapters ransom for reviews, but I sure appreciate compliments, constructive criticism, and grammatical corrections. So if you feel like it, please press that little review button, and let me know what you think. _

_Six reviewers once more. Thank you all so much! Greetings to aserene, yaoifanboy, Mangaka-chan, Sakura Blossom-Cilla-85, Taeniaea, and animegurl709. Haha, you don't have to worry about if I'll update, only when since the whole thing is written. (smile)_

_In speaking a bit more with Mangaka-chan, I have decided to change Vesta's combination from Change and Shadow to Create and Shadow. This seems to make more sense to us. I don't have time to take care of it tonight, but I will soon. And Magaka-chan? Enemies certainly have henchmen, but they always seem to have "friends" who want revenge after they have been defeated. That's what I meant by that statement. Hmm... Maybe I should change it to five things? (grin) But four was already clunky enough!_

_I know you all are dying to know what happened with Necro and Lady, but a couple of our other bad guys insist that they have been quiet for a little too long. So... Please be patient just a li-i-ittle longer. (smile)_

_Natsumi Natsuko to Koujaku Jaku Sunshine Hour… (smile) Gotta love it!- Raya_

**Moonlit Sakura**

Chapter 35 –Shocks and Surprises

"Greetings, children! Do you know what time it is?" a strange, high pitched voice called from the television set in the corner of the room. An indecipherable cheer followed. "That's right! It's time for the Natsuko Mouse and Jaku Sparrow SUNSHINE HOUR!"

King Wisp stared blankly at the screen as the hyper little fans cheered again, bouncing and hopping around wearing bird hats and mouse ears. His mind was far away from the program.

"_Greetings, sir," the thin, black haired woman said softly as she carried a tray of food into the room where the golden haired child was being kept. "Do you feel any better?" Her floor length hair shifted around her grey dress like a cloak as she turned to close the door._

"_Mmm…" he responded, studying her curiously. "Yeah, though I'm still a bit sore. Who're you?"_

"_I? I am just a servant of the Empress. My name is Maat," she replied with a bow. Her hair flowed forward to cover her sharp features, and then receded as she rose back up. "My mistress will be quite pleased to hear that you are feeling better."_

"_The Empress?" the boy asked in shock. "She's here?" The woman nodded serenely. "Where are we?" he asked in sudden excitement. "Can we get out? Is there a plan?"_

_Maat looked at him curiously. "A plan? To leave? Not that I'm aware of. The last I heard, my mistress was not planning to go anywhere. I think she is still trying to decide what to do after…" She broke off suddenly, shivering a little._

"_After what?" he asked curiously. "After her defeat? What happened?"_

"_Something like that," she replied a little briskly. "And I cannot say. We do not talk of it."_

_King Wisp frowned at her. "Tell me," he said imperiously. "I command it."_

_Maat merely raised an eyebrow. "I cannot say. It is too… painful to think about, much less talk about. And the only commands I obey are those of my mistress."_

_The boy's frown deepened and then vanished. "Oh well. I suppose," he said as if brushing off the topic. "So, are we prisoners somewhere? Why was my door locked?" he asked with voice full of curiosity once more._

"_No… We're not prisoners… exactly… Your door was locked for your safety. It wouldn't be wise for you to go roaming around unsupervised," she replied as she turned to set the tray on the table near the bed he was perched upon. Behind her, King Wisp frowned again suspiciously, then smoothed his expression into one of gratitude and began to glow softly._

"_My safety…" he said softly as she turned back around. "I see. Thank you," he added as he looked straight into her black eyes. "I'm so glad someone is concerned for me."_

"_Of… of course, sir," the servant responded as she stared at him._

"_It's not everyday that someone worries about me," he added, increasing his glow slightly. "Even though I'm a child, they think I can take care of myself." Maat did not respond. She just continued to stare at the glowing child._

"_It's so unfair, don't you think?" he asked still speaking softly. "I mean, I'm just a kid. But they treat me like I'm an adult. 'Go here,' they say. 'Do that.' Never mind that it's dangerous. So unfair." His eyes gleamed with satisfaction when the woman just nodded mutely and continued to stare at him._

"_I wish I could just go home," he said enticingly, keeping all trace of triumph out of his voice. "I would be safe there. Would… would you help me?" He rose from the bed he had been sitting on and moved slowly to stand in front of her._

_Maat blinked. "No, sir. I'm afraid you will have to stay in here for now, at least until the Empress decides what to do with you." _

_As the boy stared at her in shock and sank back onto the bed, she smiled slightly and bowed. "You're pretty good, sir. You have excellent control over your abilities. If your power continues to grow, you will be a very formidable opponent in a few years."_

"_But… but… Why?" he sputtered unable to believe that he had failed. Again._

"_Mmm, yes, your control is very good indeed, but you need to study a bit more," Maat responded as she turned and walked to the door. She looked back over her shoulder at the flabbergasted young king. "I am an Illusionist of the Tenth Order. I can see straight through most illusion spells, including those based on charisma. King Arashi, who rescued you, knew this. That is why he asked the Empress to let me attend you. Enjoy your meal, sir." Quietly, she closed the door behind her._

The children on the television began to sing a silly, happy song as the memory finished. '_Why?_' he asked himself again. '_I failed. Twice. And now I'm a captive to my own_ people_? This just doesn't make sense!_''

* * *

Queen Fey strongly suppressed her nerves and irritation as she crept down the hallway. The spectacular view of some planetary rings she had seen a few minutes before had convinced her that she was no longer on Earth. '_But why are we here hiding like some little mouse?_' she thought to herself as she tried yet another locked door. '_And how do I get out of this place so I can return to Earth?_'

For a moment, the memory of drowning in a whirlpool of water on dry land while Super Sailor Neptune watched flooded her mind and made her clench her fists. The memory that followed, Super Sailor Mercury's fog blocking her from her chosen prey, made her hiss with fury. '_I'll get you,_' she vowed silently as she crept up to the next door. '_I'll get you AND your precious Princess…_'

The sound of footsteps on the marble floor made her freeze. Frantically, she tried the door beside her. When it opened, she quickly slipped into the room beyond. The sound of a group of little kids squealing almost drowned out the irritable muttering of the man who appeared around the corner. "Where could she have gone, the little…"

Queen Fey closed the door until it was open a bare crack, and watched the hallway. Behind her, King Wisp stared in surprise at the interruption. As he studied her stance, his eyes widened and began to shine with excitement. He grabbed up the remote and turned off the sweet, hyper program.

The sudden silence behind her made Queen Fey's heart sink with dread. Slowly, she turned around to survey the room. When she saw King Wisp walking towards her, she narrowed her eyes and tilted her head to the side in confusion. "What… What are you doing here?" she asked softly.

"The same as you," he replied eagerly. "Trying to escape." She quirked a grey eyebrow at him, and then turned to look out the door once more. "Is it just the two of us? Or are there other prisoners here?" he asked as he stopped beside her.

She snorted softly. "Just the two of us, I guess, unless they brought Necro in, too, and I just haven't heard about it yet. The rest of them… I don't know what's wrong with them, but they seemed determined to keep us locked up in this castle." Slowly she opened the door and listened intently.

"Even the Empress?" the boy asked sounding a little shocked.

Queen Fey spun around and slapped her hand over his mouth. "Quiet!" she hissed. "Do you want us to get caught!" When he frantically shook his head, she lowered her hand.

"Yes, even the Empress," she said in a soft, bitterly bewildered voice. "I don't get it. First, she didn't want to come here, and now she doesn't want to leave. It's been five years, and yet she doesn't want to complete her mission or return home. And they all keep muttering something about protecting me from the light, as if I'm some photophobe or something." Her voice trailed off to a mutter as she cautiously leaned out the door and led the way into the hall. "Give me a break…"

After another two hours of creeping down stairways and avoiding the searchers, the two escapees finally managed to leave the castle. King Wisp stared wide-eyed at the giant planet in front of them.

"Ah… Saturn. We must be on one of the moons," Queen Fey said gleefully. "I can get us back from here."

"Wait! Stop!" a voice cried from the top of the stairs. They looked over their shoulders and saw a man racing frantically towards them. The golden embroidery on his brown suit glistened in the dim light.

"Muerte…" Queen Fey hissed.

Quickly, she grabbed King Fey's left shoulder with her right hand and began to gesture with her left. Just as the stout older man reached them, they disappeared.

"No! Don't take the boy..." he gasped as he stumbled to a halt reaching frantically after the vanished couple. He shook himself, and began to gesture.

"Stop," an alto voice said authoritatively. Startled, King Muerte spun around. As he spied the fragile-looking, dark haired woman clothed in a sparkling, medieval style, blood red gown, he bowed deeply. "Let them go," Empress Night commanded softly.

"But the Queen… The Crystal…" King Muerte said urgently.

The Empress shook her head. "There is nothing more we can do. We shall just have to hope that she will be merciful and spare the child from the Cleansing."

"She won't," King Arashi said as he appeared on the steps behind the Empress. "You know she won't. She will want to heal him, too, no matter how painful it will be."

"Or how much it will upset his mother," Queen Yeti added as she, too, joined them on the steps. "Queen Geist will not be happy…" The red-head bit her lower lip and clenched her fists on the bottom of her silver embroidered, midnight blue suit jacket. Slowly, she walked down a few steps, and turned to face her ruler.

"It was my fault," she confessed as she bowed very deeply and held it. "I… I wanted to spare King Necro the Cleansing, so I released Queen Fey to help him. I don't know how King Wisp got free, but… I take responsibility." She clenched her hands tightly as she awaited her punishment.

"I see…" Empress Night said softly. "So inconvenient… Siblings." The three members of the Court looked up at her in surprise, and found that she had a soft smile on her face. "Return to your quarters, Yeti, and stay there for three full days."

"Y-yes, Ma'am," the surprised Queen replied, grateful to have gotten off so easily.


	36. Chapter 36 Silenced Jungle

_Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from "CardCaptor Sakura". They are all owned by the ladies of CLAMP who are much more talented than I. (smile) I also do not own anyone from "Sailor Moon". They are all owned by Takeuchi Naoko whose vision will live eternally. (smile) (Much to Elflina's dismay...) All other characters are my own. Feel free to steal them._

_I do not hold chapters ransom for reviews, but I sure appreciate compliments, constructive criticism, and grammatical corrections. So if you feel like it, please press that little review button, and let me know what you think. _

_Hahaha, I'm going to go through so much withdrawal in a few weeks. Six reviews again! Hurray! Greetings to Sakura Blossom-Cilla-85, Taeniaea (MS's 100th review, yeah!), aserene, Mangaka-chan (Barney? And I've never even seen it, hahaha...), animegurl709 (I'm glad you found the description so vivid), and Miss Takin (welcome back! smile). I'm glad no one was ready to kill me for letting the villains play for a while. For those who are interested and have not read it yet, Empress Night, King Arashi, King Necro, Queen Yeti and Maat are the villains in The Sleeper. You don't need to know anything about that story for this one, but I thought I'd mention it (again?) in case anyone was interested. _

_(str-e-tch) Two completed stories in three days... One done all in one sitting. Oh, I'm so tired of sitting in front of this computer. But I'm glad they're done. (wink) Ree has already reviewed one and pronounced it acceptable. Maybe better than acceptable because she didn't have nearly the patience she usually does for updates, hahaha. Hopefully, she'll have time to read the other one either Sunday or Monday. Since that one (Phantoms) was written in response to a challenge on pgsm-fanfiction dot net, it will be posted there first, but it will be over here by Halloween._

_And now, time to end long author ramble. (grin) Was anyone wondering what happened back in Crystal Tokyo? (cheerfully plug ears) Then enjoy, minna! - Raya_

**Moonlit Sakura**

Chapter 36 – Silenced Jungle

Sailor Ceres struggled to keep her mind focused on Super Sailor Mercury's cues and commands, but it was very difficult. Deep inside, the guilt still remained. Yes, she had done her best to protect her friend, but she had left out one detail. One very important detail…

FLASHBACK

A young teenager looked out of her second story window towards the Crystal Palace. With a smile and a dreamy sigh, she leaned her head against the window frame and watched the distant spires twinkle in the moonlight. Suddenly, a bright light filled the quiet little suburb of Crystal Tokyo. The girl raised her hands to block out the light with a cry of shock.

Quickly, the light concentrated in the Tsukimine Shrine, and then disappeared. The girl peered nervously in the direction of the shrine, and then looked once more towards the distant Palace as if looking for reassurance. The spires seemed a little dimmer and a little further away.

A little fearfully, the girl pulled her window shut and closed her curtains. She walked across the room and lay down in her bed. A moment later, she hopped back up again, and quickly retrieved an old, battered teddy bear from the shelves near her desk. She squeezed it tightly to her chest as she lay back down under the covers and stared at the closed window.

* * *

King Necro jumped slightly as the sky above him flooded with rainbow colored light. Quickly, he opened a small bottle and gulped down its contents. '_Here they come_,' he thought calmly to himself. '_Took them long enough_…'

The light quickly concentrated into five different colored beams that pierced the ground a few feet away from him. He watched as the beams slowly shrank and became the five senshi that always seemed to work against him as a team.

The dark aqua beam resolved itself into the girl with the pale blue hair that he had almost caught that time in the aviary. The dark greenish-yellow beam became the tall girl with lime green hair that liked to tumble and use vine attacks. The deep magenta beam collected into the girl with bright red hair that liked to summon flaming animals while the dark yellowish-orange light glowed around the pink haired girl that couldn't seem to get her attacks to work at all. And the brightest light, a pale pink shot through with silver sparkles slowly revealed the pink haired girl he had started calling the Princess' Personal Protector.

As he watched the last senshi take form, his eyes suddenly narrowed. '_If all of the guardians, including the Princess' Personal Protector, are here, that means the Princess is…_' he thought with a bit of excitement. '_All I have to do is defeat HER, and then the Princess will be mine. Silly brats! This is it!_' He clenched his fist tightly around his wand and brought it up to chest height. Quickly, he threw the paralyzation spell at them hoping to catch them off guard.

As she felt the teleportation end, Sailor Ceres began to focus her energy into a protective shield for Super Sailor Moon. Through her psychic link with her teammates, she felt them do the same. She smiled a little, triumphantly, as she felt the enemy's attack hit the shield and dissipate harmlessly. Beside her, Sailor Pallas gave a small exclamation of surprise, but held strong.

King Necro grimaced as his spell bounced harmlessly off of the glow around the girls. '_Too quick_,' he thought to himself. '_Catch them again as soon as that light fades._' He prepared the spell again and held it at the tip of his wand. He frowned as he realized that the remaining light was not fading but concentrating in a sphere around the girls.

Sailor Pallas looked across the circle to Sailor Juno. Lime green eyes caught periwinkle blue, and the two girls nodded simultaneously. Moving as one, they dropped Super Sailor Moon's hands and smoothly caught each others. The light around them did not falter.

As a group, the Asteroid Senshi took two steps away from Super Sailor Moon, and then smoothed the shield from a sphere around the joined group to a curved wall that stood between them and their enemy.

King Necro studied the shield a moment then narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. '_That's a good shield. A_ very _good shield_," he thought to himself. He released the paralyzation spell and moved his wand aimlessly, using it to trace random sparkling runes in the air in an effort to distract the girls and buy himself some time. '_And quick, too._' He began to smile a little in anticipation. '_Why… These girls might even be worth my time!_'

Super Sailor Moon watched the sparkling figures in front of her enemy for a moment, and then shook her head abruptly. "You won't hypnotize us that easily," she said in a determined voice. She lifted her hand as if to reach for something. Instantly, her Spiral Heart Moon Rod materialized and settled into her grip. "I am the pretty sailor-suited soldier of Hope and Justice, Sailor Moon! You have banished many of my friends and fellow protectors of Earth. I will not allow this any more. In the name of the Moon, I will punish you!" Quickly, she spun her Moon Rod in a complex pattern, and then fell into her pose: Moon Rod held diagonally in front of her with her left hand, legs spread shoulder width apart, right hand forming a V in front on her head.

"Sailor Moon, huh. Interesting. I would have thought that the Princess of Earth would have been protected by Sailor Earth," King Necro said in a bored voice.

The five senshi looked at him with puzzled faces. "The Princess of Earth?" Sailor Juno asked as she looked at her friends.

"Who's that?" Sailor Vesta echoed still looking confused.

"Is she around here, too?" Sailor Pallas asked as she looked around curiously.

"I don't see anybody else…" Sailor Ceres said as she looked around also.

Super Sailor Moon just shook her head. "The Moon protects the Earth, and always has. And I will protect the Princess of "Earth". You will not stop me."

King Necro just snorted and began to move his wand jerkily. "Skish tkla epgrtkil mro hap!" He chanted as he traced more runes into the air. The black figures were edged with a burning orange light. As he finished, they hung in front of him for a heartbeat, and then swirled together to form a ball of power. The glowing ball flew through the air, hit the shield, and splattered like a liquid. It began to try to eat its way in like acid.

Four sets of eyes widened in shock as the Asteroid senshi felt the strength of the blow. Once again, Sailor Pallas cried out in surprise. Sailor Ceres snapped her head around to face the center of the circle and concentrated frantically on holding the shield. Her squeezing hands reminded Sailor Vesta and Sailor Pallas to do the same. Slowly, the black power was overcome by the shining light of the shield. It began to evaporate, and finally disappeared.

Sailor Ceres smiled triumphantly at Super Sailor Moon who had dropped her pose and was watching them with bated breath. Super Sailor Moon smiled back tentatively.

"Not bad," King Necro said sounding a little amused. "Not bad at all. But can you block this?"

As he gestured, Super Sailor Moon's gaze snapped back towards him. Her eyes narrowed as she brought her Moon Rod up once more and spun it through its energy gathering pattern. As she reached the peak of her power up, she leapt up into the air. "Moon Spiral Heart… ATTACK!" she cried as she aimed the Rod directly at him.

"Kragt Xtrek Skish Mro!" he shouted simultaneously aiming his wand at Sailor Ceres' back. Super Sailor Moon's pink colored attack fought against his electric orange one for a few moments, and then faded. His severely weakened ball of electricity then hit the shield and dissipated harmlessly.

For several minutes, the battle raged back and forth. The two rivals tried to outpace each other, each racing to get their attack off first. Gradually, King Necro's focus shifted from the shield around the Quartet to Super Sailor Moon. Sailor Juno frowned anxiously as she noticed this, and tightened her grip on Sailor Vesta and Sailor Pallas.

"We've got to extend the shield," she said quietly but urgently as she watched her pink-haired friend land, spin around and leap again. "He's going to get her soon!"

Just as she said this, King Necro grazed Super Sailor Moon's right arm with a fireball. She cried out in pain and shock, and stumbled on her landing behind her friends.

"Watch out!" Sailor Pallas yelled a few seconds too late.

"Lady-chan!" Sailor Ceres cried out unthinkingly. "Are you okay?"

"Lady-chan!" Sailor Juno exclaimed as she craned her neck around in an attempt to see behind her.

"Are you okay, Lady-chan? Pull yourself together!" Sailor Vesta called as she threw a little more energy into the shield.

"Lady-chan?" King Necro asked. His voice sounded a little surprised. "Now where have I heard that name before...?"

Sailor Ceres' eyes widened in shock as what he said registered. "Sacre…" she whispered, feeling as if someone had punched her in the stomach. The feeling did not abate any as she saw Super Sailor Moon's pained smile.

"I'm fine," the wounded girl called reassuringly to her friends. "Just startled." She turned her arm little so that they would not be able to see the burnt skin showing through the glove.

"Thank heavens," Sailor Pallas sighed, closing her eyes briefly with relief.

Sailor Ceres closed her eyes and threw all of her strength into the shield. The sudden power surge surprised her teammates although their hold on the shield did not falter. "Ceres?" Sailor Pallas asked uncertainly as they turned to look at her.

King Necro's eyes narrowed as he searched his memory for the tantalizing clue. "Where have I heard it…" he mumbled to himself. His eyes flew open wide as the memory finally surfaced.

…"_Oh, what a quaint sentiment. So sweet. So saintly," he said as he appeared beside them. "I bet she died an early death."_

"_You!" the princess hissed angrily._

"_Lady!" the golden-haired woman cried, pulling roughly on the girl's arm..._

…_King Necro and Queen Fey suddenly appeared in the aviary on the path between the senshi and their princess. With a triumphant grin, King Necro raised his wand and aimed it at the two unsuspecting teenagers on the bench._

_"LADY!" the golden senshi screamed, rushing forward. Queen Fey smiled evilly as she reached out and took control of her body._

_The princess and her friend turned to see what the commotion was about, and found themselves frozen by King Necro's spell._

_"Lady-chan!" the older blue haired senshi cried…_

…_"Lady-chan! Where's the Princess?" the red-headed senshi cried as she saw senshi with light blue hair._

_"Gone. Safe. Sailor Moon will be with her by now," the girl replied with a triumphant smile towards her enemy…_

"Lady… is the… You are… YOU are the PRINCESS!" he exclaimed, stuttering in shock.

Everyone but Sailor Ceres snapped around to stare at him in shock. "Uh-oh…" Sailor Pallas moaned.

Other memories surfaced in his shocked mind. The tall, brown-haired senshi stepping in front of Super Sailor Moon to protect her as the golden haired senshi practically threw her out of the path of his spell and into this same group of girls. The group of girls instantly forming a shield around her, ignoring the rest of the fight. The panic on the faces of all the senshi as Super Sailor Moon stepped forward in the aviary to challenge him directly. The pain and anger on her face as she screamed at him to return the Queen during that first attack in Egypt. "You are the Princess," he said again his feelings of disbelief and wonder melting into triumph.

Suddenly, the triumph became anger. "All those times… All those times I could have had you easily...!" he growled, raising his wand. "Make a mockery of ME will you? I'll show you!" Quickly, deliberately, he began to wave his wand and chant the death spell.

The girls all paled as they heard the horrible words begin. From somewhere, Sailor Ceres drug up additional energy to throw into the shield. Beside her, she felt her partners do the same. The shield began to blaze brightly. Super Sailor Moon cried out in surprise, threw up her left arm, and turned her face away from the powerful light.

King Necro's spell hit the shield squarely and he concentrated all his power on breaking through to the five girls it protected. For a long moment, the two powers balanced… And then the shield shattered into billions of tiny sparkling lights. Sailor Ceres's scream was cut off almost instantly as the four girls vanished from sight.

Super Sailor Moon screamed as she was hurled backwards into an old sakura tree by the explosion. She crumpled down to the ground, her transformation broken, her clothes torn and dirty, and her pink hair in messy disarray.

King Necro crumpled to the ground also as he reached the limits of his energy. All around them, the sparkling lights from the shield fell like a gentle rain and slowly faded away.

END FLASHBACK

'_My fault_,' Sailor Ceres thought as she blinked back tears. '_All my fault. If I had just remembered to call her Moon instead of Lady… Lady-chan… Ah, ma Princesse, please hold on. We're coming. Please,_ please_ be all right!_'


	37. Chapter 37 The Journey Pt III

_Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from "CardCaptor Sakura". They are all owned by the ladies of CLAMP who are much more talented than I. (smile) I also do not own anyone from "Sailor Moon". They are all owned by Takeuchi Naoko whose vision will live eternally. (smile) (Much to Elflina's dismay...) All other characters are my own. Feel free to steal them._

_I do not hold chapters ransom for reviews, but I sure appreciate compliments, constructive criticism, and grammatical corrections. So if you feel like it, please press that little review button, and let me know what you think. _

_Five reviews! Oh, thank you all so much. Including one first time (for me) reviewer. And a very enthusiastic one at that, hahaha. Welcome to xo Concrete Angel ox. Careful, or you'll give me a swelled head, hahaha. And thanks and greetings to yaoifanboy, Mangaka-chan (good luck with organic!), Sakura Blossom-Cilla-85, and aserene!_

_It's time to return to that world between worlds... Enjoy, minna! - Raya_

**Moonlit Sakura**

Chapter 37 – The Journey to Crystal Tokyo, Part III: The Ethereal Palace 

Super Sailor Mercury led her friends and comrades on a convoluted path through the mysterious, pastel colored mist. Every now and then, off in the distance, someone would catch a glimpse of what appeared to be another universe or world. The glimpses faded quickly, though, so they were never quite sure of what they saw.

"Okay, here comes another power dip," Super Sailor Mercury called as they paused, sounding a little tired. "We turn right and go straight up, while our power falls down two percent. We will hold that for about ten seconds, and then there's a very big spike." She paused. "This is where my data ends. After this big spike is the enormous dip that overloaded my data."

A sudden thought occurred to her, and she turned to look at Sailor Pallas. "You didn't happen to bring a copy of the data from your end, did you?" she asked hopefully.

Sailor Pallas looked at her blankly for a moment, and then shook her head with a chagrined expression. Super Sailor Mercury sagged with disappointment.

"Sorry," the younger senshi said softly. "I didn't even think of it. We were in a hurry to get to the enemy before he could regain any of his strength."

"Fat lot of good that did us," Sailor Juno mumbled irritably, tired and still smarting over her loss.

"I took the time to do a quick check on the effective attacks, but that was about it," Sailor Pallas continued, ignoring her friend. "That was when I noticed that Lady-chan's attacks were the most effective."

"I wonder why that is…" Super Sailor Venus said reflectively.

"Why?" Sailor Ceres asked in surprise, looking over her shoulder. "Because she's the Princess, of course. She's the most powerful of us after Neo-Queen Serenity-sama and King Endymion-sama."

Super Sailor Venus shook her head. "That seems logical, but… No. Unless she's using the power of her Crystal, she's only about as powerful as one of us. Uranus and the others are a little more powerful, but they couldn't get through either."

"We took one out," Super Sailor Uranus called. "And almost got another. I'd say we're a _lot_ more powerful than you."

Yue watched as Super Sailor Venus swung her hair forward and then tossed it back over her shoulder. "You just got lucky," the Senshi of Beauty said with a teasing glint in her eyes. Super Sailor Neptune chuckled softly and tightened her grip on her lover's hand as Super Sailor Uranus narrowed her eyes and began to reply.

"She's probably just his Achilles'," Super Sailor Jupiter interjected quickly as she turned and glared significantly at her leader. Super Sailor Venus just grinned back impishly.

"Achilles? What do you mean?" Sailor Vesta called from across the circle.

"Isn't that a part of your leg?" Sakura asked, sounding confused, as Super Sailor Jupiter started to respond.

"Almost," Tomoyo replied, inadvertently cutting the Senshi of Protection off again. Super Sailor Jupiter sighed and gave up as the dark haired girl continued. "It's a tendon that runs between your calf and your heel. But what Jupiter-san was referring to was an old Greek hero named Achilles. He lived during the Trojan War, and supposedly he was completely invulnerable except for one heel. That is where it got its name."

"Hu-e? But… But… If she is his Achilles…" Sakura said looking even more confused.

"That means she's vulnerable, and he's… he's…" Sailor Ceres said sounding just as confused.

"Oh, no, no!" Tomoyo replied, blinking in surprise as she looked back and forth between the two girls. "It's a saying. The Achilles' Heel is a weak point."

"But, how can she be his weak point?" Sailor Juno cried. "She's not a part of him! She's not even on his side!" Tomoyo didn't respond immediately confused by the confusion.

"No, she's not," Super Sailor Jupiter agreed, glad to finally get a word in edgewise. "She's on our side. But she can hit his weak spot, if you will. Just like… Remember the grey-haired woman?"

"Queen Fey," Super Sailor Neptune interjected with a smile.

"Yeah, her. Well, her Achilles' Heel was the fact that she had to be able to see her target in order to control it. The only one of us who could break her control was Mercury. She used her Bubble Spray to completely fog up the area so Queen Fey couldn't see," Super Sailor Jupiter said as she looked around the inner circles. "Apparently, something about this guy's magic…"

"King Necro," Super Sailor Neptune interjected again. She blinked innocently at Super Sailor Jupiter when the younger senshi gave her a measuring look.

"Yeah, him. Apparently, his shields are somehow vulnerable to Moon's attacks. So, she's his Achilles'," Super Sailor Jupiter said as she turned back to her audience.

"Or his Paris," Super Sailor Mercury said unthinkingly as she typed a few commands into her computer with an intent expression.

"Paris? The capital of France?" Sailor Vesta asked sounding confused again.

"No, Paris was another hero of the Trojan War," Tomoyo replied quickly. "He was the one who killed Achilles by shooting an arrow into his heel."

"I'm confused," Serenity said as she turned to look at King Endymion. "What do Paris, Greeks, and warriors have to do with Small Lady?" Her face lit up for a moment. "Ah! Celeste is from Paris, and Pallas is from Athens which is in Greece, and they are both warriors who protect Small Lady!" she exclaimed.

Her friends stared at her blankly for a moment. "That… That _does_ make sense…" Super Sailor Venus said weakly.

"Completely, and totally not what we were talking about, but…," Super Sailor Mars said with mystified agreement.

"Not quite, Serenity-san," Super Sailor Mercury called calmly out of the middle as she glanced up from her computer. "But that was a good guess," she added quickly as she saw Serenity's face fall. She paused and blinked as she caught the teasing glint in her friend's blue eyes. "I'll explain it to you later if you haven't figured it out," she added, laughing silently to herself as she realized that Serenity was just teasing them all.

"In the meantime, if we've all caught our breath, then I think it's time to go." The Senshi of Wisdom looked around the circles, catching everyone's eyes. Each of them nodded their readiness back to her. Taking a deep breath, she turned to the proper direction, made one final cross-check on her computer, and led the way up. Her hands clenched tightly on the computer as her brain tried to figure out what to do once they came to the end of the data.

"Drop," she called as the tracker on the computer began to fall. "Drop… Pluto, your power is too high… There… Drop… Easy, Serenity-san, too low… Drop… Come down a hair more next time, Li-san… Drop…" Around her, expressions began to become tight and strained as everyone concentrated fiercely on their power control. "Energy spike in ten. Give it everything you've got. I'll warn you back…" she called as the marker approached the junction. "On five. Straight down. Three. Two. One. Power dive!"

The pastel mist was lit by an incandescent light as the group gave everything they had to the dive. A sudden shrieking sound startled them. As they opened their eyes and looked below them, Serenity, Super Sailor Venus, Super Sailor Mercury, the Asteroid Senshi, Tomoyo, and Sakura screamed in fear. With a jarring thud that made them break the circles, the travelers landed on a crystal platform that had appeared beneath them. They sprawled across the clear structure in small heaps, and for a long moment no one moved.

"Ooooowwwwwwww..." Serenity wailed into the silence. "Th… Th… That huuuuurrrttt…"

"Oh, quit your whining," Super Sailor Mars said irritably as she sat up with a wince. Deep within, she breathed a sigh of relief that her best friend was apparently okay. Slowly, with moans and groans, the rest of the senshi sat up as well.

"B… B… But it huuuurrrrts!" Serenity wailed back as she lay on her side and cried. Above her head, Luna pushed herself up and began to limp back towards her charge. King Endymion and Tomoyo also began to move to her side.

"Don't bother," Super Sailor Mars called when she saw them moving. "She's just complaining as usual. If you pay her any attention, she'll just get worse."

"M… M… Meanie…" Serenity blubbered as she turned to look up at Luna. "It… it… it still hurts," she added as she looked into the cat's concerned eyes. Her head shot around as she felt a familiar touch on her back. "Mamo-chan!" she wailed as she lifted herself up and threw herself into his arms. Luna squawked as she dove quickly to one side.

King Endymion hugged his wife tightly and sighed with relief. If she could move, then she truly wasn't hurt. His dark blue eyes met Tomoyo's violet ones reassuringly, and she echoed his sigh of relief.

"Kero-chan? Are you okay?" Sakura asked from the middle of the group.

The giant golden cat winced as he stretched and shook his wings. His right wing sagged a little lower than the left when he relaxed them. "Yeah. Or I would be if she'd ever stop wailin', that is," he replied with a pained glare towards Serenity.

"Noise is interesting, but the decibels _are_ a bit high for this place," a deep voice agreed. Under the group, the platform swayed gently. Surprised, they looked around. Only pastel colored mist met their searching eyes.

Shaoran's eyes narrowed as he took a step closer to Sakura and summoned his sword. Yue called up a small cloud of ice crystals and stepped closer to Tomoyo as Cerberus flared his wings and spun around to guard Sakura's back. Sakura lifted her Book to her chest and continued to look around the mist with wide green eyes.

The senshi responded just as protectively. Tomoyo was surprised to see, however, that they included the small group from Tomoeda in their protections. The four youngest senshi positioned themselves quickly around Sakura and her friends, while the Inners surrounded their king and queen. The Outers shifted to place themselves a little further out, as if to form a lopsided outer ring.

"Ah… That is better…" the voice continued seemingly undisturbed by the movements and positioning. The defenders suddenly realized that Serenity's cries had faded away to soft sobs. "The crystal has relaxed."

"Who are you?" Super Sailor Venus called challengingly. "Where are you?"

A deep chuckle sounded as the platform swayed again. "Such bravado. Courage? Or a mask for fear?"

Super Sailor Mars closed her eyes and concentrated on stretching her psychic senses. Super Sailor Neptune spun slowly in a circle, using her Aqua Mirror to scan the mists, while Super Sailor Mercury used her visor and computer to do the same.

"I'm not a coward," Super Sailor Venus called back. "I'm right here. You're the one who's hiding."

"True… But does that make you the less intelligent one or the weaker one? In any respect, coward or hero, smart or idiot, weak or strong, you are a trespasser." The voice changed slowly from amused to cold implacability.

Luna was quick to respond to it. "Just travelers. We did not mean to trespass. If you would give us but a moment to reorganize, we'll be on our way," she called reassuringly trying her best to project an aura of innocence and regret.

"Travel is forbidden here," the voice responded. Once again, the platform swayed. The group of travelers looked around in alarm.

"We assure you that as soon as we get home, we will not come here again," Super Sailor Mercury called out as she directed her attention to the platform instead of the mist. "Are you the guardian of this space? Sailor…?"

The voice was silent for a moment. "Ah, the knowledgeable one," it rumbled. "Your guess is correct, but your answer is unacceptable. You should not have traveled here in the first place."

"Not just the knowledgeable one," Super Sailor Pluto said as she took a step in towards the middle of the platform and slowly raised her Time Key. "Wisdom. And the start of this journey was not of our choosing… Sailor Æther."

"So… The Garnet Orb. Time/Space. You are recognized, Pluto" the voice said measuringly. Super Sailor Pluto looked quickly at the other Outer Senshi, who nodded and raised their Talismans as they stepped forward. "The Aqua Mirror. The Space Sword. The Silence Glaive. Truly a remarkable circumstance."

As the voice fell silent again, the mist around the platform began to retreat. The travelers gasped in surprise as they realized that they were standing on the top of a small, solid-looking crystal tower. Around them, a large palace stretched out into the mist. Slowly, a giant figure materialized on the parapet of the tower.

"A… dragon...?" Sailor Vesta gasped in surprise. The gleaming, rainbow jewel-toned beast turned its head and gave her a considering look from its bright yellow-green eyes. Slowly, deliberately, it spread its wings to their full span, rose up on its hind legs, and stretched its full length into the space above them.

Tomoyo, Shaoran, Sakura, and Serenity stared up at it fascinated as their friends tensed and prepared for battle. Exuding an air of amusement, the dragon slowly settled itself on the parapet again. "Such a gathering. And, I assume that _she_ is here as well. I suppose I should be honored," it said reflectively. The group exchanged puzzled glances. "Maybe I will be, when my ears have recovered from the child's crying."

"But that is for another space and time," the dragon rumbled with a glint in its eyes at their puzzled expressions, "though perhaps not another world. You are indeed far from home. What has brought you to this place with these forbidden companions?" The senshi exchanged uncertain looks, and then Super Sailor Venus motioned for Super Sailor Mercury to do the talking.

"We senshi were blasted from our own plane, one at a time, by an enemy using an ancient banishment spell," she explained as succinctly as she could. "Somehow, we all ended up in the same place, where we became connected to the spirits which are controlled by Sakura-san's Cards. We need to return home as soon as possible to protect our remaining companions and our world, but the connection is not easily broken. Therefore, Sakura-san agreed to accompany us as far as possible."

"Hmmm… There is indeed such a connection… Tenuous, but strong," the dragon replied as it eyed them consideringly. "And just how did Sakura-san and her friends plan to return home?"

"We would send her back using the map we had prepared," Super Sailor Mercury replied. "Once we have been freed from the Cards and working from our home base in Crystal Tokyo, it should not be that difficult."

The dragon looked at her a moment, and then snorted. "More difficult than you imagine, Wise One," it replied. "The paths between worlds change constantly. I am very surprised you managed to find your way here so quickly. In case you hadn't noticed, you've been circling this Palace for some time." At Super Sailor Mercury's surprised look, she smiled. "It's been quite amusing to watch, actually. Flit here, pause for a moment, flit over to there, lazily spiral your way off to that corner, blast your way to another… Sparkling all over with power… I'm almost tempted to let you find your own way, just so I can enjoy the display some more."

"But you won't, will you? You will help us, won't you?" Serenity asked as she stepped free of King Endymion's arms. "Please…" she pleaded. "My daughter is in danger. We have to hurry!"

The dragon turned and studied her for a moment, taking in her pale face and desperate blue eyes. Then, it rose up on its hind legs and spread its wings once more. The travelers watched in amazement as tendrils of the surrounding mist engulfed it. The resulting sphere shrank down until it was human sized, and then dispersed. Before them, a senshi with rainbow colored, dark-toned hair and wings stood. Her fuku was very similar to that of the Senshi of Sol. Her skirt and knee-high boots were the same pastel color as the mists around them, while her multicolored dragon skin choker was darker than her skirt but lighter than her shoulder-length hair. From it, a small geode glittered in the light. She did not wear a tiara, but on her forehead an infinity sign glowed and spun slowly. In contrast to her dragon form, her human form was fairly small, just a little taller than Sailor Pallas, and slight. Super Sailor Æther looked at Serenity once more, and then bowed. "As you wish. I will show you the path home, and once the connection with the Cards has been severed, I will escort Sakura-san and her friends back to their own world." Her voice was still deep and seemed to rumble its way out of her small frame.

"Thank you," the queen replied with relief. She smiled brightly at her new comrade, who smiled back. Her guardians, however, were not as pleased.

"That was a little too easy, wasn't it?" Super Sailor Jupiter asked suspiciously as she narrowed her gaze. As Super Sailor Æther turned to raise an eyebrow at her, the other three guardians nodded. Slowly, the four of them tightened their protective circle around Serenity and King Endymion.

Super Sailor Æther just smiled with amusement. "It keeps her from crying, doesn't it?" she asked almost flippantly. "I like my Palace the way it is, thank you, not in shards around my feet. Besides, she _is_…" Abruptly, she cut herself off. "Your queen is she not?" she continued in an obvious substitution. "The queen of such a band of loyal warriors should be heeded. You never know who she might be in the future." Her yellow-green eyes sparkled with amusement at her private joke. "And it returns you all to your proper places, which will make my job easier. Shall we go? I believe you are in a hurry?"

"We don't have much choice, do we?" Super Sailor Mercury responded still looking uneasy. She turned her gaze from Super Sailor Æther to Super Sailor Pluto. "What do you think?" she asked, trusting that the Senshi of Revolution would be more knowledgeable about this creature.

Super Sailor Pluto looked at Super Sailor Æther for a long moment, and then turned her gaze to Serenity. Finally, she nodded. "It _is_ her job to keep order here. And if Serenity trusts her, then I shall, too," she said in her husky voice.

Super Sailor Æther's smile grew wider. "Spoiled but not rotten, hm?" she whispered softly to herself. "Good. Very good indeed…"

"Let's go," Serenity said as she held her hands out to her husband and the leader of her senshi. "We have to hurry!" Slowly, reluctantly, her friends formed up once more into their circle. Super Sailor Æther took Super Sailor Mercury's place within the very center of the circles, flexed her wings, and then gathered their power. Slowly, the group became vaporous and faded away from the crystal tower.


	38. Chapter 38 Journey's End

_Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from "CardCaptor Sakura". They are all owned by the ladies of CLAMP who are much more talented than I. (smile) I also do not own anyone from "Sailor Moon". They are all owned by Takeuchi Naoko whose vision will live eternally. (smile) (Much to Elflina's dismay...) All other characters are my own. Feel free to steal them._

_I do not hold chapters ransom for reviews, but I sure appreciate compliments, constructive criticism, and grammatical corrections. So if you feel like it, please press that little review button, and let me know what you think. _

_Ooo... To have mercy or not... This chapter is only two pages long. Very, very short. And I don't think the next one is much longer. I don't really remember why I did it this way, but I think it was because of the drastic change of scene. And a short bout of writer's block and extended travel._

_Hmmm... I think I'll split the difference. Instead of giving you all two chapters tonight, I'll give you one tonight and one tomorrow night. (smile) Feel free to stick pins in your "Raya Light" doll. Only one of them would work, and she wouldn't be sticking in pins for this story, hahaha..._

_Six reviews once more. Yeah! And one from a first time (for me) reviewer. Welcome to IchikoKitsuneKoumori! And greetings to aserene, xo Concrete Angel ox (haha, don't worry, I do that myself even without sugar!), Mangaka-chan, and yaoifanboy. And REEEEEE! What're you doin' in here? (grin) I finally tempted you with that excellent Minako story, didn't I? ( -- not written by me) No fair giving away plots and twists and turns, okay? Like you would anyway... Yes, minna, the infamous Ree has finally joined fanfiction dot net._

_Interesting question, Mangaka-chan, as always. (abashed grin) Actually, I thought it meant something else. When I read your question, I decided to go look it up just to double check. I was originally going to use Aether or Ether (the medium through which light travels), not Ethos (a distinguishing characteristic or guiding belief). I didn't think Ether sounded as good, and I thought Ethos meant pretty much the same thing (that which the universe is made from). Since it doesn't, guess I'm going to have to change that, too. Thanks for the catch! _

_And now, for today's little snack. Enjoy, minna! - Raya_

**Moonlit Sakura**

Chapter 38 – Journey's End

Queen Fey fought fiercely to keep her mind centered on King Necro and Earth. The energy drain of the emergency teleportation spell was beginning to sap her partially recovered reserves, but she knew the dangers of falling out of transit early. As an old tree faded into view, she gave a sigh of relief. King Wisp's cry of astonishment and consternation as he stumbled and flailed his arms made it fade quickly, however.

As she reached out to steady him, she looked around rapidly, and suddenly felt herself stumble over something on the ground. She blinked as she recognized the barely conscious form of her orange haired partner.

"Necro!" Queen Fey exclaimed as she quickly knelt beside him. "What happened?" She and King Wisp looked around the shrine area defensively, searching for attackers.

"Did… Did I get them?" King Necro whispered faintly as he struggled feebly to sit up.

"Who?" Queen Fey asked as she turned her attention back to him. Gently, she put her arm under his shoulders and helped him to sit up. "There isn't anyone here now."

"Except her," King Wisp corrected. He pointed towards the pink haired girl lying stilly under the tree.

When King Necro saw her, he began to struggle frantically for his wand. "The… princess… Help me! … Help me get rid of her now!" Just as his hand found the wand, he heard a low growl and felt a sharp pain which made him cry out and release it. The three of them watched in shock as the princess' cat snatched the wand up in her mouth and drug it out of reach. Blood began to slowly seep from the scratch on King Necro's hand.

"My cat!" King Wisp cried out happily. His expression darkened a moment later. "Hey, give that back."

"I am _not_ your cat," it spat in reply. "And I certainly will _not_ give this back!"

"Yes, you will," Queen Fey said with a threatening tone in her voice. The cat's eyes grew wide as she exerted her control over it. "Bring it here," she commanded.

Slowly, fighting every millimeter of the way, the cat lowered its head and reached for the wand. Suddenly, just as its mouth was about to close upon it, it raised its left front paw and batted it far away.

"Why you…" Queen Fey snarled as she clenched her hands. The cat cried out in pain as she made its nerves zing in punishment. "Now go get it and bring it here!"

"Di… Diana?" a voice called out weakly.

King Necro looked towards the princess and made a snap decision. "Help me now!" he ordered as he began to drain energy from his partners and the grey cat. As they cried out in shock and protest, he continued. "We can't let her regain her strength! Give me your energy so I can destroy her!"

"Diana!" Lady called out as she pushed herself up to her knees and reached for her adviser. "Stop it! Diana!"

"Small… La… dy…" Diana gasped as she collapsed.

"No! Diana! Diana!" Lady yelled her eyes wide with panic. Somehow, she managed to push herself back up to her feet as King Wisp and Queen Fey sank weakly to the ground.

King Necro rose also, and held his hand out towards his wand. Immediately, it flew back to his grasp. "You are mine now, Princess," he said triumphantly as he pointed it towards her.

Lady tore her eyes from Diana, and stared at him. '_No choice. I'll have to use the Crystal_,' she thought to herself as the fear on her face slowly transformed into a look of determination. Deep inside, she felt a small flutter of panic. '_My energy level is pretty low, but if I focus, I can cleanse him before I pass out. Hopefully… Hopefully, Mercury and the rest will make it back by the time the other two recover._'

King Necro felt himself pause at the look in his adversary's eyes. He watched as she slowly reached up and pulled a jeweled pendant out of her top. "A focus stone? How quaint," he quipped as a sense of unease crept into his mind. Something about the stone and her eyes told him that this would be her last, ultimate attack. Given their previous fights, he wasn't too sure he could last long against something that powerful.

Lady ignored him as she raised her Pink Moon Crystal in front of her and concentrated. The ground around her feet began to glow, and her eyes widened in shock as white power streamed towards her from all corners of the shrine. A pink light rose up and surrounded her, and then faded into her skin.

Princess Lady Serenity let the Crystal fall back to its place over her heart. Her eyes had a far away look as the light triggered a recent memory.

_Ami looked directly into Lady's dark pink eyes. "You are strong enough to bring us all back on your own if you need to." She smiled encouragingly. "Just shine. Shine with all the brightness of the Moon, Earth, and Sun when the time is right, and be a beacon of love and hope for us."_

"A beacon," she said softly as she focused on her adversary once more.

"Beacon? For what?" King Necro asked curiously. He continued almost snidely. "All of your protectors are gone. There is no one to guide. Even your cat is out."

"You will not win," she said resolutely as her eyes flicked quickly to Diana and then back to him. She reached out with her right hand and grasped the scepter that appeared in front of her.

He laughed coldly as she raised it defensively. "They're dead, Princess," he said sneering the last word with obvious hatred. "All of them. Who will protect you now?"

"They're _not_ dead,' Princess Lady replied firmly. "I will find them and bring them back. And then…"

With a wave of his dark wooden wand, King Necro cut her off. A dark, ugly black light flew out of the wand towards her, but she blocked it with her scepter. She winced in pain, but managed to hold it steady. As he threw another attack at her, she narrowed her eyes.

'_A beacon of love and hope. I'm here! Home is this way!_' she thought to her lost family and friends. "Moon… Power…" she said softly as a bright light surrounded her. Her three adversaries winced and reached up to protect their eyes. '_Hurry… I can't hold it much longer! Hurry... Mama…_' With her left hand she once again lifted her Crystal in front of her. "Pink… Moon… Pow…"

She stopped as another bright light appeared. Every color of the rainbow swirled and circled in a giant sphere, and then faded away to reveal a small group of travelers in its heart. The tall, white haired angel and the strange golden cat with wings immediately caught everyone's attention.

"The Princess…" a soft voice said wonderingly.


	39. Chapter 39 From A Different Perspective

_Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from "CardCaptor Sakura". They are all owned by the ladies of CLAMP who are much more talented than I. (smile) I also do not own anyone from "Sailor Moon". They are all owned by Takeuchi Naoko whose vision will live eternally. (smile) (Much to Elflina's dismay...) All other characters are my own. Feel free to steal them._

_I do not hold chapters ransom for reviews, but I sure appreciate compliments, constructive criticism, and grammatical corrections. So if you feel like it, please press that little review button, and let me know what you think. _

_A quick thank you to my four reviewers! Greetings to yaoifanboy (hehehe, it's an author's prerogative. Just think of poor Ree who had to wait almost a whole week because I hadn't quite figured out what to do...), IchikoKitsuneKoumori a.k.a. Sakura Blossom-Cilla-85 (I thought that was you! Hahaha, sneaky, getting welcomed twice! You must have changed your name after the review was sent.), Concrete Angel (see note to yaoifanboy... I hope your throat isn't tired from humming... And that you're not thoroughly sick of such a good song yet, hahaha), and Mangaka-chan (soon, soon... Thanks to Ree...)!_

_Yes, as I thought it is another short chapter... And once more I claim writer's privilege. Besides, if you all kill me, you won't get tomorrow's update. And you really, really want tomorrow's update. You really, really do. It's five pages long. Five jam-packed pages long..._

_But for now, I hope you will enjoy... A Different Perspective. Mata ashita! Until tomorrow! - Raya_

**Moonlit Sakura**

Chapter 39 – From a Different Perspective 

"What the…?" Vital yelled as alarms echoed through the Crystal Palace. Frantically, he punched commands into the computer. "No! Power is being sucked out of the Palace! I'm losing the beacon!" he yelled to Diana over the din.

"Small Lady…" The small grey cat looked towards the Doors, and then towards Pegasus. The winged unicorn snorted, drug a forehoof across the floor, and nodded deliberately at her. When she shook her head, he snorted again and used his long nose to push her towards the hallway.

"I'd never make it in time," she said stiffly, fighting the urge to run to her friend. "Besides, I have to help you guard the Doors."

"Forget the Doors," Vital said as he looked over his shoulder. His voice was loud in the sudden silence as the energy drain and the alarms ceased as abruptly as they had begun. "She needs help!" He grimaced and then continued. "I can't go. I swore to Pluto I would stay here…" His expression changed from disgruntled to determined. "But you can go. Pegasus!"

At Vital's command and sharp gesture, the winged unicorn reared up slightly and began to glow. Diana's eyes widened as she vanished from the room.

'_Ho... How did I know…?_' Vital thought in shock. For a brief moment, he stared at the place where Diana had been, and then shook the question away. Quickly, he turned back to the remote for the main computer. '_If I reset the beacon to the Palace and drop the scramble and filters, it'll use less power and I can shut down some of the generators. I can always tell them how to find her!_'

He watched the energy display nervously as he set the new beacon and began the power down process for the secondary generator. As the energy level spun down steadily, he began to heave a sigh of relief. He cut it off as another alarm began to ring through the Palace. With a worried frown, he read the alert that appeared in a separate window.

"Temporal and physical distortions… Too small to be the senshi returning…" he muttered as he paused the shutdown process and tried to find a video link to the battleground.

"You are mine now, Princess," he heard an orange haired man say triumphantly when he finally managed to access a satellite feed. He watched as Lady tore her eyes from an unconscious Diana, and stared at the man. The fear on her face slowly transformed into a look of determination.

Her enemy paused as if mesmerized by the transformation, and watched as she slowly reached up and pulled a jeweled pendant out of her top. "A focus stone? How quaint," he quipped looking a little uneasy.

Vital felt his stomach tighten and begin to roll with uneasiness as he studied Lady's expression and the stone that she held. He knew somehow that it was not a good sign that she had pulled it out. Belatedly, he realized that he didn't see any of her friends in the picture.

Slowly, Lady raised the stone in front of her and concentrated. The ground around her feet began to glow, and her eyes widened in shock as white power streamed towards her from all around her. A pink light rose up and surrounded her, and then faded into her skin.

Vital gasped when he saw the ethereally beautiful young woman who had taken her place. Princess Lady Serenity had a far away look in her eyes as she let the stone fall back to its place over her heart. "A beacon," she said softly as she focused on her adversary once more.

"Beacon? For what?" he asked curiously. Vital jumped and turned his attention quickly back to the new beacon he had made. It continued to beam calmly and steadily into the surrounding subspace. He heard the man continue in a snide voice. "All of your protectors are gone. There is no one to guide. Even your cat is out."

"You will not win," she said resolutely as Vital turned his attention back to the scene. She reached out with her right hand and grasped a scepter that appeared in front of her.

He laughed coldly as she raised it defensively. "They're dead, Princess," he said sneering the last word with obvious hatred. "All of them. Who will protect you now?"

"They're _not_ dead,' Princess Lady replied firmly. "I will find them and bring them back. And then…"

With a wave of a dark wooden wand, the man cut her off. A dark, ugly black light flew out of the wand towards her, but she blocked it with her scepter. She winced in pain, but managed to hold it steady. As he threw another attack at her, she narrowed her eyes.

Vital jumped again as alarms began to echo through the Palace again. As he turned his attention quickly to the beacon once more, he caught a flash of light out of the corner of his eye. "Moon… Power…" he heard the princess say softly.

"Another energy drain?" Vital said in surprise. "Wait, it's _Maiden_ who's draining the power?" As quickly as he realized this, he began turning off all non-essential power sources, and powering up the generators as much as they would go.

A new alarm began to wail, making Pegasus neigh and dance around flapping his wings in protest. As he stared in amazement at the size and strength of the new temporal distortion, Vital barely heard the princess' next words. "Pink… Moon… Pow…"

Vital stumbled as Pegasus shoved him roughly from behind. He fought to regain his footing, and then looked around the noisy hall. Seeing nothing, he looked towards Pegasus and cocked an eyebrow. "What was that for?" he asked warily, waiting for his partner to show him where the new enemy was.

Pegasus danced and neighed once again, flapping his wings forward as he flung his head back in an attempt to cover his ears.

"Oh, it's too noisy? Sorry." Vital relaxed slightly, turned back to the remote for the main computer, and began to acknowledge as many alarms as he could. "Oh come on. There has to be a mute button or a bypass in here somewhere," he muttered. Finally, silence filled the room.

As he turned his attention back to the monitor, he frowned in confusion. By the size and strength of the temporal distortion, he had expected to see a large number of senshi filling the shrine area. Instead, all he saw was an angel, a strange half-gryphon, a girl with large bat wings, two normal looking young women, and a normal looking young man.


	40. Chapter 40 Release and Dispel

_Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from "CardCaptor Sakura". They are all owned by the ladies of CLAMP who are much more talented than I. (smile) I also do not own anyone from "Sailor Moon". They are all owned by Takeuchi Naoko whose vision will live eternally. (smile) (Much to Elflina's dismay...) All other characters are my own. Feel free to steal them._

_I do not hold chapters ransom for reviews, but I sure appreciate compliments, constructive criticism, and grammatical corrections. So if you feel like it, please press that little review button, and let me know what you think. _

_Sorry it's so late... But it will be worth it, I promise! (smile) Greetings to Mangaka-chan, xo Concrete Angel ox, and IchikoKitsuneKoumori! Thanks for reviewing! Now, everyone take a deep breath... Your next update won't be until Monday night. And then Wednesday, and then it will all be over... But sad thoughts aside, please Enjoy! - Raya _

**Moonlit Sakura**

Chapter 40 – Release and Dispel

_Tsukimine Shrine Crystal Tokyo_

Princess Lady lowered her Crystal, and looked at the strange group with startled eyes. The beautiful flowing dress of the one holding the book caught her attention. "Princess?" she asked, sounding confused.

"XGIFRA XTEC HO MRIL!" King Necro snarled as he desperately seized his chance to catch her off-guard. A blackish blood red ball of power gathered at the point of his wand, and then blasted towards her.

As Princess Lady spun back towards him with a cry of surprise, four streaks of pink flew from the group of strangers towards her as well. She cried out again, turned her head, and threw up an arm to protect her face as the five lights met and exploded in front of her. When she lowered her arm, she saw four large pink cards hovering protectively in front of her.

"No-one hurts our Princess," she heard Sailor Ceres say in a firm, but whispery voice.

"How low can you get?" Sailor Juno asked, her whispery voice sounding disgusted.

"Slime," Sailor Vesta growled.

"Are you all right, Lady-chan?" Sailor Pallas asked with a worried tone in her whispery voice.

"G-guys?" Princess Lady stuttered, looking around excitedly. "Guys, where are you?"

"Right here, Princesse," Sailor Ceres said in a hard, determined tone. "Join!"

Princess Lady's eyes grew wide as the four cards in front of her began to glow. Quickly, a shield formed around her. "Guys!" she gasped as she recognized the power that generated the shield.

"Noooo…." King Necro growled in shock and frustration as he, too, recognized the power. "That's impossible! You're dead! Gone! Banished forever! Deleted!"

"We're back, creep," Sailor Juno said a little viciously.

"It does feel odd, though," Sailor Pallas said reflectively. "I don't feel quite myself."

"We're still linked to the Cards," Princess Lady heard Super Sailor Mercury say from amid the group of strangers. The Senshi of Wisdom sounded a little disappointed. "It's really weak, but it's still there."

"Watch out!" one of the newcomers shouted as King Necro threw several balls of electricity at the shield around the princess. The four Cards in front of her glowed briefly as they absorbed the energy. King Necro's expression grew wilder and more furious with every attack that they blocked or absorbed. Suddenly, he launched a ball of acid towards the unprotected group of travelers.

"Look out!" Diana called from across the battlefield.

Simultaneously, the young woman holding the book cried out. "SHEILD!" A pink streak left the book in her arms and met the acid attack inches away from the young man who had instinctively raised his sword. For a brief moment, Super Sailor Jupiter flickered into view.

"That's it!" the young man shouted suddenly. He spun to face the girl holding the book. "Sakura! Not Shield. Protection! Use the new names!"

"Protection!" she called obediently. Her group watched with bated breath as another of King Necro's attacks hit the Protection Card. They let it out in a sigh of disappointment when Super Sailor Jupiter flickered into and out of view again.

Sakura got a thoughtful look on her face. "Not quite…" she said slowly. "There's something more…" Frantically, she tried to chase down the idea that was just at the edge of her consciousness as the enemy continued to throw attacks at them.

"Forget that!" the winged cat yelled as a fireball came a little too close for comfort. "Use another one! Quick!" He leapt away from his group, and roared a fireball towards the enemy, trying to throw him off by attacking from a different angle. King Necro growled and threw giant ball of liquid at him. The ball split into three, one attacking each group of defenders.

"War!" Sakura called out. Another pink flash came out of her book. This one dodged the attack he had flung at them, and transformed into a fireball that attacked his shields.

"Yeah!" the cat yelled with delight as he dodged the attack thrown at him. His shout drowned out the cries of pain made by the four Cards guarding the Princess. His happiness was short lived, however, when he realized that the fire attacks were not getting through to the enemy. "That's not working. Use another one!" he growled as he shook his wings impatiently.

"Um… Revolution, Rebellion, Affinity..." Sakura mumbled, trying to remember the names of the new Cards. Beside her, the angel summoned his bow and shot several ice arrows towards the enemy. Like the fireballs, the arrows broke on his shields.

"Oh, come on, Yue, you can do better than that!" the cat taunted as he extended his wings. The wings began to glow. Suddenly, he flapped them towards the enemy, and then leapt over a ball of wind. Several feathers flew through the air and became fiery darts.

Yue lifted an eyebrow, and gave the cat a smug look as the darts bounced off. "At least my attacks actually hit, Cerberus. What about yours?" he asked a little smugly. Cerberus just growled in response and sent more fire darts towards the enemy.

The young man suddenly threw a piece of paper into the air. "Thunder God, I summon thee!" he cried. As he used the flat of his sword to hit the paper, bolts of lightening flew from it towards the enemy. Like the fireball attacks, however, the lightening just writhed around the outside of the shield, unable to penetrate it.

"Arhhh! I can't take this anymore!" Super Sailor Jupiter called out sounding aggravated as a ball of wind hit her shield again. "Jupiter Oak EVOLUTION!"

The defenders gasped in shock as the Protection Card glowed brightly, and then began to spout branches and roots. Sakura staggered as it quickly formed a cage over the remaining travelers and then grew into a tall tree centered over them.

"Interesting…" the bat winged girl said as she looked around curiously. "A giant oak tree… Evolved."

The ball of fire representing War paused in its attack, and then seemed to glow a little brighter. "So… My turn! Mars Snake FIRE!" The fireball began to move faster and faster, elongating itself into a giant, flaming snake. Quickly, it wrapped its coils around King Necro's shield and began to squeeze and burn. Once again, Sakura staggered, this time bumping into Yue as she almost collapsed.

"Sakura!" the dark haired young woman cried worriedly. The young man looked over his shoulder, broke off his attacks, and quickly raced to the reeling sorceress' side.

"Are you all right?" he asked in a voice full of concern. Sakura looked up at him with a shaky smile and nodded.

"Okay," Super Sailor Jupiter said tightly. "How… 'bout this? Jupiter… Coconut… CYCLONE!" Brown, hard coconuts began to form on the upper branches of the oak tree which then flung them towards the enemy. With a glare, he began to blast them out of the sky.

"Ooo…" the bat winged girl crooned. "Even more interesting! Coconuts in an oak tree. This trip might not be boring after all." She looked curiously at Sakura as the girl grimaced in pain and sagged into her boyfriend. "Hmmm… Energy depletion… That won't do."

Above them, the tree began to wilt and collapse. It formed back into a Card again, and floated down to lay before Sakura. "Watch out!" the young woman called, staggering back up right. The bracelets on her wrist clanged musically together as she reached out towards the War Card.

Yue and the young man acted simultaneously. The angel fired a rapid series of arrows, knocking away the golden haired boy who was weakly attempting to reach for the Card. "Wind God, I summon thee!" the young man cried out, throwing another piece of paper into the air. Immediately, a whirlwind flew from the paper, wrapped itself around the Card, and drew it to safety.

"Thank you, Shaoran," Sakura said gratefully as she accepted the Card from him. Slowly, she bent down to pick up the Protection Card as well. When her head spun dizzily, she fell to her knees and braced herself with one hand to wait it out.

"Sakura-chan?" the dark haired woman cried out anxiously. She watched as Shaoran dropped to one knee beside her friend.

"I'm… I'm okay, Tomoyo-chan. Just a little tired," Sakura called reassuringly.

The bat winged girl raised an eyebrow, shook her head with a frown, and then raised her right hand into the air in front of her heart. Cupping it, she carved out a stylistic infinity sign made of two hearts. As her hand passed through the air, it gathered a small ball of energy. She tossed the first ball at the Protection Card, and then repeated the gesture, moving a little to her right as if to form a chain. The second ball of energy she tossed to the War Card.

"More… power…" King Necro growled insanely. Queen Fey and King Wisp cried out in protest as he began to drain them once again.

"What's going on out here?" a strange voice called. Everyone spun to look at the two men, one old and one young, who stood on the path from the heart of the shrine. The white and grey hakumas they wore indicated that they were resident priests.

"Get out of here!" Princess Lady shouted frantically. "Run!" Diana forced her way to her feet, and began to stumble towards them.

"This shrine doesn't open until after dawn," the older man called again. "Please come back later."

King Necro grinned with evil delight and reached out towards the two men. Just as Diana leapt to knock them down, an orange light surrounded them and knocked her away. "Fresh power. Perfect!" King Necro gloated as the two men began to scream in pain.

"Stop it!" Princess Lady and her four guardians yelled. "Leave them alone!" Princess Lady continued on her own.

"Guys!" Sailor Ceres called commandingly.

"Right!" her team mates responded. A shimmer, similar to a heat wave, appeared between King Necro and his new prey.

He growled in frustration as his energy siphon was cut off by the Quartet's new shield. The two priests collapsed silently to the ground. "No matter, I got enough," he said viciously as he moved his wand through another pattern. "XGIFRA XTEC HO MRIL!"

A blood red ball of power flew through the air and into the shield around Princess Lady. The four senshi guarding her screamed in pain as they managed, barely, to deflect it.

"Guys!" the Princess called anxiously as the shield around her flickered and went out. Quickly, she held out her hands to catch the falling Cards.

'_Nooo…_' she heard them wail in her mind as she caught them. '_Not again! We can't fail again! Lady-chan…_'

Across the clearing, King Necro also felt the shield collapse. With a burst of hopeful energy, he threw another attack at the Princess while she was distracted.

Watching helplessly a short distance away, Tomoyo saw the attack leave his wand. "Look out!" she cried frantically.

Cerberus also saw the attack and raced to intercept the ball of pulsating energy. Just as he landed and absorbed the blow, Princess Lady dove to the side, curled protectively around the Cards of her friends.

"Kero-chan!" Sakura gasped as she saw smoke begin to rise from his wings.

"I… I'm fine," he called bravely back to her. He stood protectively in front of the Princess and summoned another fireball to throw at King Necro. "Think, Sakura, think! Use another Card! Something that will eliminate his blasted shield!" he growled as he watched the attack bounce off uselessly once more.

Yue quickly moved in front of Tomoyo leaving Shaoran to protect Sakura as King Necro turned to face them with an ugly expression, and threw another attack at them. "I… had… them…" he growled with a wild look in his eyes. "I had them!"

"Destruction, Death, Beauty…" Sakura said, continuing her recitation, as Yue, Cerberus, and Shaoron frantically deflected and destroyed his attacks and tried to get in a few of their own.

"How about Wisdom?" Tomoyo asked with sudden insight. "Maybe that will help you know which Card will best stop him."

"That's a good idea, Tomoyo-chan!" Sakura said looking a little livelier. "Wisdom!" The Card floating in front of her began to glow. From it a cloud spread to surround her. "Ah!" she and Super Sailor Mercury exclaimed simultaneously. "That's it!"

"What?" Sharoan asked urgently. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah," she replied reassuringly, slowly climbing back to her feet with Shaoran's help. "Let's do it!"

"Everyone! Channel the power back to Sakura-san!" Super Sailor Mercury called out urgently.

Across the clearing, Princess Lady looked towards Sakura, trying desperately to find where Super Sailor Mercury's voice was coming from. From the corner of her eye, she saw King Necro throw yet another attack at her strange protector. "No!" she cried, throwing an arm up. Immediately, power flowed out of her and created a shield in front of the distracted giant cat, saving him from a ball of lightening.

"Protection! War! Wisdom!" Sakura called. The tree and fire-snake appeared again, hovering protectively over the group and the cloud that represented Wisdom. The three incarnations of the Cards began to glow in their respective colors.

Beside Sakura, the bat winged girl drew another stylized infinity sign, and threw the ball of energy into the cloud that represented Wisdom. As Sakura powered up her Cards, she repeated the gesture for each of the remaining senshi and for the king thus completing a full chain of hearts around her.

"Affinity!" A large, watery, indigo mirror appeared in front of the tree. It reflected the enemy, and began to suck power out of his crumbling shield.

"Rebellion!" A giant yellow whirlwind appeared. Its gusts were as sharp as blades as it shredded leaves and grass. It, too, attacked King Necro's shield, making him focus all of his power there rather than in attacks.

"Revolution!" A swirl of black sand appeared and joined the yellow whirlwind.

"Beauty!" A golden, glowing chain of hearts, very similar to the chain being etched in the air by the bat winged girl formed outside of the tree barrier. It glowed blindingly bright and orange as it writhed like a snake as if daring the enemy to attack.

"Hallucination! Distraction! Optical Illusion! Daydream!" The four Cards in Princess Lady's arms began to glow. Slowly, they rose in front of her and then faded into a mottled kaleidoscope of light and color spread throughout a new shield around her and Cerberus.

"Destruction! Life!" Sakura almost ran the words together in her fear of what the Destruction Card would do. A sharp, purple crescent of light appeared and flew to hover in front Cerberus. The grass underneath it began to wilt and die.

But, a green shoot sprang up from amid the withered grass and appeared to be unaffected by Destruction's power. Quickly, it grew into a tangled rose bush with long vine-line branches. These branches spread quickly throughout the clearing, until each Card incarnation had one under them. Suddenly, big red roses blossomed all over it. Energy seemed to flow up from the roses in a sparkling stream to the spirits above them.

"Purify and separate! PURITY!" Sakura yelled. A silver pink white glow spread from the Card she held up. Slowly, it floated out of her hand.

In the distance, the Crystal Palace suddenly shone as bright as the moon on a dark night. The silver crystal which protected it accepted the energy of the generators that Vital had charged up, transformed it into spiritual energy, and fed it to the Queen. Serenity felt the distant power waiting for her use. Quickly, she reached for it, pulled it in, and then pushed it back out in a healing wave.

As the light from the Purity Card touched the incarnations of the other Cards, they trembled and split. Super Sailor Mercury was the first to reappear. In her hands, she held two Cards, and her face lit up triumphantly as she realized she was free.

Super Sailor Jupiter was next, followed by Super Sailor Uranus, Super Sailor Neptune, and Super Sailor Pluto. Luna was held in Super Sailor Pluto's arms. Super Sailor Venus appeared with Artemis wrapped around her feet. Super Sailor Mars and Super Sailor Saturn seemed to appear together.

The three enemy warriors screamed in pain as their failing shields were eroded by the light. King Necro and Queen Fey instinctively curled over in an attempt to protect themselves and King Wisp from the light.

When the light finally touched the princess and her shield, Sailor Ceres, Sailor Vesta, Sailor Juno, and Sailor Pallas appeared in front of Cerberus. King Endymion landed gently in front of Princess Lady as he reappeared, and was almost knocked down by his crying, ecstatic daughter.

Finally, Neo-Queen Serenity appeared in front of Sakura, transformed by the power the sorceress and the distant Palace had given her to use. As the light died down around her, she turned her eyes to the two Cards that she held. They glowed briefly for a moment, and then sluggishly rose into the air and floated to their Mistress.

"Light! Dark! You're all right!" Sakura exclaimed in relief. "Thank heavens…. I'm so glad!" she said as she gathered them gently to her chest. From around the shrine, the other Cards were released by the senshi and returned to their Mistress.

"Mama?" Princess Lady called out in a choked voice, almost unable to believe her eyes.

Neo-Queen Serenity spun around quickly at the sound, her face brightening with joy and relief. "Small Lady!" she cried, holding her arms out wide.

"Mama!" the princess cried, tearing herself out of the safe haven of her father's arms and racing over to her mother. For a moment, the two women hugged each other fiercely. "Oh, Mama! I'm so glad! You're all right!" the younger one sobbed. "You're safe? You're safe!" her mother mumbled in return. "Thank goodness!" All around them, their friends smiled.


	41. Chapter 41 The Queen of Nemesis

_Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from "CardCaptor Sakura". They are all owned by the ladies of CLAMP who are much more talented than I. (smile) I also do not own anyone from "Sailor Moon". They are all owned by Takeuchi Naoko whose vision will live eternally. (smile) (Much to Elflina's dismay...) All other characters are my own. Feel free to steal them._

_I do not hold chapters ransom for reviews, but I sure appreciate compliments, constructive criticism, and grammatical corrections. So if you feel like it, please press that little review button, and let me know what you think. _

_Hello, all! And special greetings to my reviewers. I even got two first timers, although I think one reviewed another story of mine some time ago. And I would be talking about Lady Icefyre. (smile) Careful, all that praise can be quite heady, hahaha! And welcome to SamuraiSirius! You read it all at once? You must have had a lot of time on your hands! (grin) I'm glad you enjoyed it! And yes, Kurogane was a reference to Tsubasa Chronicle. I originally had someone else, but I read the first manga just before I released this story and I figured if CLAMP wanted to make Kurogane and Tomoyo a couple, who was I to object?_

_And greetings to IchikoKitsuneKoumori, yaoifanboy (it happens to all of us, hahaha), Mangaka-chan (fluff? Me?), Miss Takin (I travel a lot, too, so I can sympathize), and aserene (welcome back!). Wait... One, two, three... Seven! I have hit a new high! Yeah! Thank you all!_

_And thank you all for sticking with me this far! I really appreciate it! Now, to tie up a couple of loose ends... - Raya_

**Moonlit Sakura**

Chapter 41 – The Queen of Nemesis 

"Mother! Father!" Diana's voice broke into the ecstatically happy moment. She ran across the clearing and tumbled deliberately into her mother.

"Diana? Diana!" Luna cried. "You're okay! Oh…"

"Diana!" Artemis yelled as he quickly joined the pile. Around them, their friends, new and old, grinned at their antics.

Super Sailor Mars was the first to suddenly remember the enemy in their midst. Her gasp and sudden turn reminded Outer Senshi, who materialized their Talismans. They relaxed a bit, however, as they realized that the three had collapsed unconscious to the ground.

Super Sailor Mars frowned as something about the pained expressions of the unconscious enemies tugged at her memory. The stray glint of light as the first beams of the rising sun hit their bodies finally brought the memory out.

_Five bodies lay on the sand of the beach, surrounded by the two groups of senshi. The afternoon sun sparkled off of the trim of their suits. Just minutes before, the gold and silver trim had been stained and tarnished. Now, it glowed cleanly on the suits of three of the five. The woman dressed in the long grey dress did not look much different, but her face seemed a little softer. The blood red dress of their leader sparkled as if it were dusted with glitter. The faces of all five were clenched and tight, as if they were in great pain._

"They've been healed," she said as she relaxed even more. "Look at the trim on their suits."

"Even the boy?" an alto voice asked. Everyone spun to face the woman. The senshi relaxed a little, once again, as they recognized the figure in the shimmering blood red dress. Taking their cue from the women, Yue and Shaoran slowly lowered their weapons. Cerberus slowly folded his wings in, although he continued to stand protectively near the apparently defenseless king.

"Empress Night…" Luna said in surprise as she rapidly disentangled herself from her family. Quickly, the three cats sat primly by one another, Diana in the middle. The very observant would have noticed that they sat so close their sides touched.

The former enemy crouched down by the three unconscious forms and then sighed. "Yes, even the boy." Her face was very serious as she rose and brushed her long black hair back over her shoulder. "I had come to request a favor," she said as she turned her cautious green eyes to the queen. "It appears I have come too late."

"A favor?" Princess Lady asked curiously, still wrapped in her mother's arms but looking towards the foreign empress.

"Yes. I had come to ask that you spare the child, at least, from the Cleansing." Empress Night looked down at King Wisp again, and then up to the queen and princess once more. "Since I am too late for that, may I request that they be released to us on Titan? I do not think they will bother you anymore."

Neo-Queen Serenity studied her expression a moment, and felt her heart sink a little at the caution and worry she saw in her counterpart's eyes. Slowly, she nodded her permission. "Why did you want me to "spare" the child?" she asked curiously. "I understand that the light is painful to you, like too much sun, but once you recovered you seemed… pleased… to be healed. Why would you not want that for the child as well as the adults?"

Empress Night looked down, and then slowly raised her eyes back to the queen. "His mother… is very powerful. And she will not be pleased. Be on guard." She bowed her head respectfully to the queen and princess, and then made a gesture with her right arm. The four former members of the Dark Court vanished from the shrine.

"Interesting…" the bat winged girl said again in a soft voice. "The Queen of Nemesis has returned…"

"The Queen of Nemesis?" asked Tomoyo. She turned to give the girl a curious look. "Is that who she was?"

"Nemesis?" Super Sailor Venus asked sounding confused. "Nemesis was destroyed years ago. How could she be the Queen of Nemesis?"

"She didn't look anything like Prince Demand," Super Sailor Jupiter seconded as she, too, looked towards the girl.

"What do you mean, Sailor Æther?" Super Sailor Mercury asked. "Is she from a different universe as well?"

Super Sailor Æther blinked and then turned to face each of her questioners in turn. "Yes, that is who she was. You couldn't have destroyed Nemesis. Prince Demand? Who is he? No, she is misplaced only in system, not in universe."

Super Sailor Venus frowned. "Nemesis was, too, destroyed. Death Phantom used it as a catalyst for his Dark Energy and tried to attack Earth with it. Sailor Moon and Sailor ChibiMoon cleansed it, but it was so far gone it disappeared. Prince Demand was the ruler of that world and the Black Moon clan that lived there."

Super Sailor Æther gave her a disbelieving look. "If Nemesis had been destroyed, this entire system would be in chaos, if it even still existed. Unless your Sailor Moons somehow managed to shield the entire system from the shock wave of a disappearing star system? They must be very powerful, indeed, to heal a whole system at once, and then protect this one while it disappeared!"

The senshi looked at her, very confused, while Sakura and her friends watched curiously. Suddenly, Yue started. "You wouldn't, by chance, mean the theoretical brown dwarf that might be out beyond the orbit of Pluto would you?" he asked uncertainly.

"A brown dwarf? What's that?" Super Sailor Jupiter asked curiously. "Nemesis was a planet, a wandering planet that was caught by our sun's gravity centuries ago. It was dark, but I don't think it was particularly small."

"A brown dwarf is a type of star," Super Sailor Mercury said, beating Yue to the explanation. "It's small, in star terms, and dim. I've never heard of a brown dwarf named Nemesis, though."

"You haven't?" Super Sailor Æther asked, looking surprised. "How very odd. I would think you, of all people, would remember the Nemesis system." She turned to look towards Neo-Queen Serenity. "Nemesis and Sol, the sun of this world, are a double star system. Actually, they are two star systems, very close together, acting as one double star system. A very, very long time ago, the Nemesis system was invaded by the forces of Chaos. If I remember correctly, the Senshi of the Sol System tried to assist their sisters in the Nemesis System, but were unsuccessful. Eventually, all of Nemesis was lost to the Darkness. The forces of Chaos began to use Nemesis as a launching point for attacks against the Sol System. They have been known to use whole planets as giant missiles… Maybe the planet you named Nemesis was one of these."

"A brown dwarf named Nemesis, out beyond Pluto…" Luna muttered. "I think… A long time ago…"

Super Sailor Mercury looked deep in thought a moment, and then spoke again. "No, I can't seem to remember anything like that. But… I do seem to remember a theory that Pluto and some of the moons in the outer planets might be from beyond our system."

"Yes, I've heard of that theory, too," Artemis said as Luna nodded.

"Pluto is one of us," Super Sailor Mars said staunchly, looking towards the dusky warrior of Pluto. The Guardian of Time just smiled her small smile.

Super Sailor Æther just shrugged. "She is now. Whether she was originally from Nemesis or not will probably take a long time to know. The more important thing is that the ruler of Nemesis has been freed from the Darkness. They cannot be too happy about that. And if she is free, perhaps her senshi will be freed soon."

"Her senshi?" Super Sailor Uranus spoke up, suddenly more interested. "How many senshi does Nemesis have?"

"The Nemesis system had five senshi, if I recall correctly," Super Sailor Æther replied beginning to look restive. "Who knows how many they have now. No more. The rest you can learn on your own. For now, you are free. It is time for Sakura-san and her friends to return home."

"So soon?" Neo-Queen Serenity cried. "But, we haven't had a chance to thank them!"

Super Sailor Æther just shook her head. "Travel between universes is forbidden. I allowed it this time, as a way to get you home. It is now time for them to return."

As Neo-Queen Serenity hung her head and sighed a little sadly, Princess Lady pulled herself out of her mother's arms. Quickly she walked over to stand in front of Sakura. "Thank you so very much for saving my mother and my friends," she said as she swept into a deep curtsey. Sakura and Shaoran stared at her with wide-eyed surprise as she continued. "And thank you, thank ALL of you for your help in the fight just now."

"Yes, thank you," Super Sailor Venus added, as the other senshi nodded their appreciation.

"You didn't do too bad," Super Sailor Uranus said with a crooked smile.

"Heh!" Cerberus cried. "We fought more than you! In fact, we did all the hard work FOR you!"

Super Sailor Uranus grinned as Super Sailor Neptune sighed and gently shook her head. "Oh come on, he wasn't that difficult to beat," the Senshi of the Wind said provocatively. "We'd already defeated him once. We just thought you could use a little exercise, so we let you have some fun."

"Just ignore her," Sailor Vesta said with a friendly glare towards Super Sailor Uranus. "She enjoys provoking people. The more you react, the more she'll poke. Thank you for protecting the Princess when we weren't able to," she added with a deep bow to Cerberus.

"Yes, thank you," her team mates said as they, too, gave him a grateful bow.

As they were talking, King Endymion had crossed the clearing to stand next to his wife. Together, they nodded to Sakura. "Thank you so much for your help," Neo-Queen Serenity said with a bright smile.

"Nn-hnnn," Sakura replied as she shook her head. She hugged her Book a little more closely to her chest as she continued. "Thank you! Thank you for healing all of my friends, especially Light and Dark. They all tell me that they are feeling better than ever."

Super Sailor Æther sighed patiently. "Okay, now has everyone thanked everyone? It is time to go." Cerberus grumbled under his breath, but quickly made his way back to Sakura's group. Princess Lady retreated to stand next to her parents.

Once they had gathered together once more, Sakura smiled and raised a hand to wave goodbye. Her bracelets clanged musically on her arm as she waved. "Goodbye! Good luck!"

"Goodbye, Sakura-san!" Neo-Queen Serenity called back, returning her wave. "I hope we meet again, someday! Be safe on your journey home!"

Super Sailor Æther rolled her eyes and then smiled wickedly. "Maybe I should take them on a little side trip on the way back…"

As everyone looked at her in surprise, she flapped her wings open widely and raised her arms. Abruptly, with a flash of pastel rainbow light, she and the travelers from Tomoeda disappeared.

"Where could she be planning to take them?" Super Sailor Saturn asked thoughtfully.

"I hope they'll be all right…" Super Sailor Mercury added, sounding just a little bit worried.

"Don't worry," Neo-Queen Serenity said reassuringly. "She won't let them get hurt. They'll be fine."

* * *

_A/N: ...Or to create a few new loose ends. I knew there was a reason I dreaded this chapter... I just gave myself more work! (smile) Any sequel will have to stand in line, though... I think this story can stand on its own, and I hope you agree!_


	42. Chapter 42 Home Again

_Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from "CardCaptor Sakura". They are all owned by the ladies of CLAMP who are much more talented than I. (smile) I also do not own anyone from "Sailor Moon". They are all owned by Takeuchi Naoko whose vision will live eternally. (smile) (Much to Elflina's dismay...) All other characters are my own. Feel free to steal them._

_It's hard to believe that at this time last year, I was trying to figure out how on Earth to free the Senshi from the Sakura Cards, and promising Ree that I'd try to finish it by Christmas. Oops, I missed that estimate by about 6 months, hahaha... And now, four months after I posted the first chapter (under CCS, and then deleted and started to repost), you have the conclusion._

_My thanks to everyone who reviewed this epic, particularly aserene who was with me from Chapter 1 in CCS. And to all 80-100 of you that fanfiction says is reading, including all of my reviewers, I hope that you have enjoyed it, and that you will like this ending._

_Finally, greetings to my three reviewers for Chapter 41! Thank you, aserene (yes, it's over for now. I haven't even started work on a sequel, although I have started a related story), Mangaka-chan (I'll look forward to that crossover. Empress Night is in the wrong star system (i.e., not in the Nemesis section of the system), but in the right universe (i.e., Æther doesn't have to make her leave), and Æther must've been distracted by something else when the Black Moon family attacked Crystal Tokyo... That's my story and I'm sticking to it, hahaha), and IchikoKitsuneKoumori formerly known as Sakura Blossom-Cilla-85 (two different objects named Nemesis. Demand was from the planet that the Earthlings named Nemesis, while Empress Night is from the star system Nemesis). _

_I always like to hear how other people enjoyed my story. So, even if you are reading this three years after completion and you want to tell me, feel free. (smile) Or not. I leave it entirely up to how much the story impressed you. And now... This chapter is dedicated to Elflina who begged for a good CCS/SM crossover and insisted that I could write it, Ree who waited with great patience for a year and a half as I became slower and slower with updates, and to all of the people who reviewed this story. Please enjoy! - Raya_

**Moonlit Sakura**

Chapter 42 – Home Again

"Welcome home," Super Sailor Æther said as the Tsukimine Shrine faded into view once more.

"At last," Sakura sighed as she leaned into Shaoran with a yawn. "I appreciate you showing us some of our new friends' history, but it's good to be home."

"Mmm…" Tomoyo agreed as she stretched. "I'm too tired to double check my footage!"

"Heh. We did all the hard work," Cerberus quipped as he transformed back into his smaller self.

Tomoyo just smiled. "Yes, you did. And a fantastic job, too!" She winked at Kero-chan, who took the bait immediately.

"Yeah… I was rather good, wasn't I?" he preened.

Shaoran rolled his eyes, as Sakura giggled. With studied pretense, Yue ignored Kero and transformed back into Yukito.

"Thank you for your help, Sailor Æther," Sakura said as she turned to the senshi.

Super Sailor Æther flapped her wings and nodded her head graciously. "You have all been very well behaved. You deserved a reward. I'm glad you appreciated it. And now, I will leave you. Have a good life!"

"Farewell!" the small group of travelers called as she faded from sight.

"Sakura? Yuki?" Touya called from behind them. As the group of friends turned, they saw his smile of relief transform into a look of slight irritation. "It's about time, Monster," he added. "I was just getting ready to leave."

Sakura smiled. "Sorry," she replied sounding only a little repentant. "Let's go home. I'm starving!"

_Crystal Palace, Crystal Tokyo_

"I'm glad to hear those priests are all right," Serenity said as she carefully poured several cups of tea.

"Yes," Vital replied as he watched. Beside him on the couch, Lady played a little nervously with her skirt, while across form them, Endymion lifted a plate of cookies and passed them to him. "The girls were able to shield them before any permanent damage was done," he said as he took a macaroon and held the plate out to Lady. She took the plate and studied its contents carefully.

"A result of their intensive training. They did very well, I think. Speaking of which, you will stay, won't you Vital-san?" Serenity asked as she handed the young man a cup of tea. "You need some training in your new role as Tuxedo Mask."

"Please say you will," Lady begged shyly as she selected a Chinese cookie and handed the plate back to her father. Covertly, Endymion studied the young man who had quickly won over both of his women. He wasn't too sure he whether or not he liked what he saw.

"I'm afraid I can't stay too long," Vital replied a little apologetically. "I left home in rather a hurry. I have classes I need to get back to… An apartment that needs cleaning… A job… A dog…"

"A dog!" Diana and Luna exclaimed from a nearby chair, looking a little worried.

As Lady and Serenity looked saddened by his reply, he bit back a smile. The look in Endymion's eyes wiped it away. "I will return when I can, but I can't promise it will be too soon," he added.

"Of course," Serenity sighed. "Well, you will always be welcome."

A few days later, he reluctantly boarded a plane to fly back to Canada. Only the thought that he would be able to transfer to Tokyo University very easily and would be able to return permanently in a couple of months kept him strong against Lady's tears, Serenity's, Pallas', and Ceres' sad looks, and Endymion's, Bessa's, and June's muted glares. He looked out of the plane window, and to his surprise found himself counting the hours until he could come back again.

_Tomoeda_

"Good morning, Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo called as she waved to her friend across the school courtyard.

"Good morning, Tomoyo-chan!" Sakura replied as she waved back. In one arm, she held what looked like a sketchbook.

"I finally had a chance to compile some of the footage I shot during our trip," Tomoyo told her friend as they met up and began to walk into the building. "Would you like to see it after school? You look sooooo cool in it!"

Sakura smiled as she nodded. "Sure. Shall I bring Kero-chan, too? He's been bugging me about visiting you."

"Okay," Tomoyo replied. "I'll meet you there." She gave the sketchbook a curious look. "What do you have there?"

"This?" Sakura smiled. "Remember those pictures I told you I dreamed about? The ones of Neo-Queen Serenity-sama and her friends?" She waited for Tomoyo to nod, and then continued. "I liked them a lot, and I've been wishing there was someway to draw them. But, I'm not that good at drawing. Well, I had this brilliant idea last night." Sakura opened the sketchbook to the first page, and Tomoyo gasped at the beautiful picture of Neo-Queen Serenity sitting on a crescent moon. "I used Create to make them. Aren't they beautiful?" Sakura asked as she slowly flipped through the pictures.

"Yes… Very beautiful," Tomoyo replied as she studied them. "But, will they last?"

"Hnnn… Actually, that's why I brought them to school today. I was hoping you or Shaoran could help me come up with some way to save them, or create a copy."

Tomoyo looked at the book thoughtfully, and then smiled. "Leave it to me. They're pretty solid right now, right?" Sakura nodded. "We'll scan them in, and then print them off. They'll look wonderful! Ah, how pretty!"

Sakura looked down at the picture, and frowned. "Funny… Where did that one come from?" A four panel picture showed the four youngest senshi. Like the other pictures, they were dressed in long dresses the same color as their energy, but the styles and cut were each different.

Sailor Ceres' dress looked like an old French dress that would have been worn by Marie Antoinette. In the background, yellow-orange flowers spun around her as if caught in a whirlwind. Sailor Pallas was dressed in what appeared to be a toga, and aqua colored bubbles appeared to dance around her. Sailor Juno was wearing something similar to an American 1920's flapper dress. Long vines of green ivy traced their way through her background, winding around trees and other plants. Sailor Vesta appeared to be in a gypsy outfit surrounded by magenta-colored animals of all sorts. All of the girls were looking at the full moon in the center of the picture that was formed by the quarter moon sections on each panel.

"Heh? There's another one, too," Sakura said as she eagerly flipped the page. There, Princess Lady stood in a champagne pink dress in a field of white roses. In the background, sunrise or sunset basked the sky with beautiful colors. Her pink eyes shone as she looked at a little blue swallowtail butterfly that was perched on her hand. The hand was lifted to the sky above, as if to launch the butterfly into its beauty.

"That one's pretty, too," Tomoyo sighed. "I want a copy of all of them. Please?"

"Of course," Sakura smiled as she closed the book. The two young women jerked suddenly as the bell rang. "Ah! We'd better go! See ya later, Tomoyo-chan!"

"Bye, Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo replied. "Have a good day!" As she watched her friend race off to her classroom, she smiled widely. "A painter! Yes, she would look so cute as a painter," she said softly to herself as she turned and went to her own class. And in her mind, she began to plan out the next outfit for her best model.

**_The End_**

_A/N: There may be some confusion remaining about Nemesis and how it is used in this story. In the R arc of the original Sailor Moon story, King Endymion tells Sailor Venus that scientists (or someone) discovered a new planet that seemed to have wandered into the system, and it was named Nemesis. This is where Neo-Queen Serenity banished the mad dictator, Phantom (according to my translated manga), and where centuries later the Black Moon Clan began to call home. Prince Demand did indeed come from that Nemesis. I do my best to not change canon._

_However, there is a scientific theory that out beyond the Oort Cloud, there is a red or brown dwarf star which is a companion star to our sun. This star has also been named Nemesis. So far, this theory has neither been proved nor disproved. According to one website I read, one of the scientists who came up with the theory was just brainstorming ideas about the cause of cyclic mass destructions on our planet. He tossed the dwarf star idea out, mostly in fun, but the more he and some other scientists looked at it, the more believable it appeared. For better information, you can look up Nemesis Star in Wikipedia or go to http/ swanson dot bol dot ucla dot edu/ (no spaces and substituting as necessary, I can't put it in here any other way...). - Raya_


End file.
